


Ain't It Fun?

by itsnotaboutlove



Series: The Chef and The Historian [4]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Children, Drunken Shenanigans, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Family Shenanigans, Fluff, Implied Child Abuse, Life Changing Decisions, M/M, Marriage, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-30
Updated: 2013-06-18
Packaged: 2017-12-09 23:47:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 97,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/779362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotaboutlove/pseuds/itsnotaboutlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raising a toddler and expanding the family isn't always sunshine and rainbows. Chris and Melanie are in for the ride of their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The lecture hall was filled with chatter, as students strolled in before the ten-fifteen start time; the chatter of winter vacations upstate and study abroad programs to Italy or Tanzania for six to eight weeks, studying art or anthropological research, to partying in on the beaches of Rio or Laguna.

"Yooo where is this professor man!" one kid whined, twisting around in his seat. "Bro, I don't even need this class! Financial aid was up my ass all winter long about being fulltime this semester!"

His companion snickered, "Yo, no one gives a fuck about shipwrecks!" he laughed, as a blonde stepped forward.

"So if you don't "give a fuck" about shipwrecks, then why did you sign up?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "Surely you'll benefit spending more time outside, smoking and littering our sidewalks."

Before either boy could respond, the woman stepped back and clapped her hands twice. "Everyone settle down!" she yelled over the mass volume of chatter. "Class is starting now, especially if you want to get out early!"

The students quickly settled down and she smiled, "Good Morning! I'm Professor Melanie Pike and this is History 379  _Observation of Shipwrecks: From Titanic to Andrea Doria._ This class also coincides with Marine Biology 379 and Sociology 345, so please double check your schedules to make sure you're in the right place!"

Nodding to the TA near the podium, Melanie turned to look back at the students. "The course is very easy and I only expect a few things," she shrugged. "I expect you to show up on time, or at least try to, considering rush hour in the morning is horrendous," she earned a few giggles. "I do allow the use of computers, but please refrain from Facebooking, Twittering and Tumbling!"

Lucy, the TA, began handing out course outlines, moving up the middle aisle as quickly as possible. "There are NO exams," Melanie continued, smiling at the collective sigh of relief. "There are readings from the books and a few PDF's that I will post online, so please read them! We will watch a select amount of films and documentaries throughout the semester and yes, we will watch James Cameron's Titanic."

A few girls giggled around the room, "Yes!" one yelled in triumph.

"There will be one paper, five to seven pages, which I haven't decided yet what the topic will actually be," she continued. "If you need your department requirement for writing, then you can write the full ten to twelve pages. Those I will read personally, and Lucy and I will divide the rest between us."

The students flipped through the course outline silently, as Melanie gave them a few minutes to go through it. It took nearly all winter long to write out a full semesters worth of work, driving both her husband and family crazy, as she stayed up all hours of the night writing.

"Umm, it says here you only have office hours one day a week," a boy in the middle of the lecture hall said. "How can you only have one day a week, when the TA has two?"

Melanie fought to keep the eye roll to herself, "You're name?" she asked. "I'd like to see your lovely face as I answer your question."

The boy raised his hand, "Shouldn't professors be more available during the semester?" he asked.

"Ahh, I'm sure many have open schedules to address every need you have," Melanie started, before the kid interrupted again.

"And a five to seven page paper?" he snorted. "This class was only opened to seniors and transfers. The course description said the paper would be seven to twelve pages long."

Around him, a few students glared and hissed at him, as the boy ignored them. Melanie started up the aisle and stood to look at the boy.

"How many of you have fulltime jobs?" she suddenly asked, looking around as a few students raised their hands. "How about families? Kids? Spouses that work as well?"

Several more hands went up, "I only have one day's worth of office hours, because I have a small child at home and a husband that works over night," Melanie said, turning to look back at the kid. "While I'd love to spend every waking hour, teaching all you lovely people about the  _Titanic_ and how marine ecosystems are destroying the remains, I also have a life outside of here."

A few boys whistled and snickered, "But if you really want a longer paper to write, I have no problem reassigning it," she grinned, earning a few groans and "No! Please don't!" from the students.

The boy rolled his eyes and Melanie knew that she won, "What's your name?" she asked.

"George McKnightly," the kid scowled.

"Well, George McKnightly," she started back down to the front of the room. "If you don't like this very easy schedule and light course load, then I suggest you drop the class or sit back and keep your mouth shut."

A few students laughed out loud, quickly smothering their laughter with coughs, while others looked at each other in shock. "To complain about a very easy class, which I expect a boatload of A's to give out, is very silly," she said, picking up the remainder of the course outlines. "If you have any questions, you are more than welcomed to email me and I will kindly set something up so that you feel like you're getting your money's worth."

She then gave them all once last look, before smiling brightly at them. "I will see you all on Thursday! Please get your books and start on your reading!"

…......................................

The front door slammed shut behind her, as Melanie dropped everything to the floor. A squeal from the back of the apartment, followed by laughter, filled her ears.

"Mommy's home!"

Kicking off her shoes, Melanie made her way down the hall to the master bedroom, smiling as she found Chris and Charlotte on the bed. The toddler looked at her and shrieked, holding her hands out.

"Baby girl!" she exclaimed, making her way over to the bed. "Oh I missed you so much today!"

Chris snorted as she fell onto the bed, bringing Charlotte down with her for a hug and kiss. "What about me?" he asked, pouting. "Didn't you miss me?"

Melanie smiled, "Of course I missed you," she smiled, accepting the quick kiss from him. "I missed you  _both."_

Charlotte patted her cheek, sucking furiously on her pacifier, as Melanie smoothed her hair back.

"How was your day, Professor?" Chris snickered. "Did you dazzle your students with your smarts?"

She groaned, "I had one smartass question the light course load," she huffed, as Charlotte crawled around between them. "Gave him a tame verbal lashing and then went to my office and ate four doughnuts."

"My poor baby," Chris whined, leaning down to smother her with kisses. "I hope you fail the kid."

"I hope he drops the class," she snorted. "Little shit, busting my chops for only having one day of office hours."

Charlotte sat up and pulled at her toes, looking up at her parents with wide eyes. "How was your day?" Melanie asked, rolling onto her side.

The toddler picked up her teething ring, looking down at it in awe, as Chris fixed her shirt. "We had an eventful morning," he sighed. "Charlie here ate most of her breakfast, making such a mess. And then we watched the news and a little bit of Disney, before taking a bath."

Charlotte pointed at him, grunting and spiting out her pacifier. "Then we read a picture book about puppies and ate some strawberry puffs," he chuckled.

"Sounds like you two had fun," she smiled. "Are you going to be alright going to work later?"

He nodded "I'll just drink a lot of coffee before hand," he shrugged, pulling Charlotte close to him. "Right Charlie? You're going to be good for Mommy tonight?"

The girl squealed as Chris held her up, kicking her feet out at him. Melanie laughed and pulled herself up, pulling the hair tie out.

"I'm going to take a quick shower and I'll start figuring out what to make for dinner," she yawned, getting up to move towards the dresser.

"I'll make you something to eat now," Chris offered, setting Charlotte down on the bed. "Wanna help me make Mommy some food?"

Charlotte babbled as he talked to her, "Oh! Oh!" she chanted, pointing at him.

Grabbing a pair of shorts and tank top out of the drawer, Melanie snickered as they interacted. "I'll be out in five minutes," she promised, making her way towards the bathroom.

…................................

"I heard your first day was pretty shitty," Leonard smirked, as Melanie fed Charlotte her dinner. "Chris was texting Jim, which he really sucks at by the way, and said you wolfed down four doughnuts."

Melanie scowled at the computer, "Shut up, Len," she rolled her eyes, cutting a small piece of chicken for Charlotte. "First day always sucks."

"Ah, it'll get better," he nodded. "Once those kids realize how easy they have it, they'll be singing your praises on that website which gives them a chance to rate how good you are."

She snorted, "Rate my professor?" she asked. "God, I hate that site."

Charlotte smacked the tray of her highchair, before rubbing her hands across her face. "Charlie, no!" Melanie sighed, picking up a napkin. "You have spaghetti sauce all over your face now!"

"What the hell are you feedin' her?" Leonard frowned, trying to get a good view of his goddaughter. "Ain't she a little young for spaghetti?"

"She's eating Chicken parmesan without the noodles," she huffed. "We've been feeding her those meals from Gerber, but they are disgusting."

"Uh! Uh!" Charlotte grunted, wiggling in her high chair, pointing at the plastic fork in Melanie's hand. "Muhh!"

Melanie sighed, "She's always fussy when I feed her," she shook her head. "But if Chris does it, she's the perfect angel. Smiling and laughing and being a sweet little baby."

Leonard chuckled, "That's because you force it at her," he shook his head. "You gotta be patient, Mel. If she doesn't want to eat it, don't' make her."

"Ugh, did you request a video chat just to tell me how to parent my kid?" she asked, scowling at him. "Where's Jim? He's nicer to me when he calls."

"Jim took Jo to the bookstore," he sighed. "Why she needs more books, I have no clue. We just bought her a few books two weeks ago and she's already done with them."

Melanie snickered, "You shouldn't complain, Len," she took the tiny dish away from Charlotte before she could cause more damage. "When she gets into Yale or Oxford, you'll look back and thank your lucky stars that she took her education seriously."

He sighed, "I know," he nodded. "I think tomorrow we're going to go through all the books she has now and box the old ones up. That way when Charlie gets older, she can have them."

"She liked Percy Jackson," Melanie smiled. "And Chris downloaded Harry Potter on the IPad and started reading the first book to her the other night."

"Isn't she a little young for Harry Potter?" Leonard frowned.

Melanie giggled, "She's too young for Jane Austen, but Potter is perfectly fine," she nodded. "Plus he does all the voices and it makes her happy."

Leonard chuckled, "Please videotape this!" he begged. "We need some blackmail on the old man!"

"Are you guys coming out during Jo's winter break?" she asked, wiping the highchair tray down. "I know you said something about wanting to celebrate Jim's birthday out here, since he's' turning the big three-oh!"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I booked our flight tickets last night and called up his boss at the bar and told him the days. Joanna's been looking at things for me to buy him as birthday gifts."

Melanie smiled, "How about… an engagement ring?" she asked innocently. "Chris and I have a bet on when you're going to pop the question! If Chris loses, then he has to clean the bathroom for three months!"

"Dammit Mel!" he scolded. "You two act like children!"

"But Lenny!" she whined, as Charlotte screeched. "It's either that or I have to do whatever Chris wants in bed, and I'm actually scared about that idea."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "I'm ending this call now," he shook his head. "I'll have Jo call back after dinner or tomorrow after school."

Melanie sighed, "Fine!" she looked at Charlotte. "Say bye bye to Uncle Len!"

"Bye my little sweetpea," Leonard waved at the screen. "Be bad for Mommy!"

Charlotte pointed at the screen, " 'Ones!" she grunted. " "Ones!"

"Bones!" Melanie smiled, as Charlotte laughed, while her brother grumbled. "I'll talk to you later, Len."

Disconnecting from Facetime, Melanie quickly closed the laptop and stood up from her chair. "Let's go clean that pretty face and Mommy will read you a story," she said, unbuckling the toddler from her high chair. "Hopefully you'll be asleep before Daddy comes home, that way he can get a full nights rest."

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Charlie, you need to keep it down," Melanie whispered, as the toddler wobbled on her feet. "Daddy is sleeping."

Charlotte bounced lightly on her feet, slapping her hands together and she giggled. Just sixteen months old, Charlotte was always in the need for speed, as she raced around the apartment. Ever since taking her first steps before her first birthday, Chris and Melanie were constantly chasing after her as her motor skills developed at a rapid pace. There were many days spent cleaning up broken glass and food off the floor, as the little girl shrieked and moved about.

Halfway down the hall, Charlotte stopped and lightly patted the door to the master bedroom.

"Hey!" Melanie quickly darted forward, scooping her up into her arms. "No you don't! You wake Daddy up and he'll be upset, Charlie."

"Uhhhh!" she groaned, pointing to the door, as they moved back into the kitchen., kicking lightly against her.

Melanie shifted her from one hip to the other, "Later baby girl, later!" she promised, setting her down in the high chair. "Let's make Daddy some breakfast and we'll call Grandma!"

Immediately, Charlotte began to screech, bursting in tears. Melanie groaned, setting the coffee pot down on the counter, moving quickly to get the pacifier.

"Charlie!" she shook her head, as Charlotte cried. "Come on, baby girl! Don't cry!"

Once the pacifier was in place, Melanie stepped back and watched as Charlotte yanked it from her mouth, tossing it onto the floor.

"Charlotte Anne," Melanie gasped, bending down to retrieve the sucker. "You were being so good before!"

"What's wrong?"

Melanie looked up and found Chris standing in the entryway of the kitchen, bedclothes rumpled and looking completely exhausted. Upon hearing his voice, Charlotte began to cry harder, wiggling around in the high chair with her hands up and out.

"I'm so sorry," Melanie shook her head, as Chris came over. "I know you wanted to sleep in this morning, and I really tried to keep her from waking you up."

"It's okay," Chris yawned, moving to stand in front of the high chair. "What are you doing little one?"

Charlotte grunted, "Uh!" she grunted, whining as Chris stood there. "Pa!"

Chris carefully pulled her up and out of the chair, settling her onto his hip. "Are you giving Mommy a hard time?" he asked, as Charlotte patted his chin. "Wanna go lay down and keep me company?"

Melanie sighed, "If you need the extra sleep, I'll get her in the stroller and take her for a walk," she offered, as Chris brushed the unruly curls away from Charlotte's eyes.

"It's too cold to go out," Chris said. "We can all get into bed and snuggle for a little while, since neither of us have work today."

"Aren't you hungry?" Melanie frowned.

He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the mouth, "I can always eat later, Mel," he said. "Right now, I just to cuddle under the blankets with my girls and sleep."

"I'll go get her stuffed bunny and I'll join you two," Melanie nodded, as the cats dashed into the kitchen. "Let me feed these two first."

Chris nodded and started down the hall with Charlotte, chatting to her as they went. Scooping a cupful of dry food, Melanie quickly dumped it into the food bowl and followed after them. A quick stop into Charlotte's room, Melanie had her pink stuffed bunny and was making her way across the hall.

"Here we go, Charlie," Chris smiled, setting the toddler down in the middle of the bed. "Mommy has your bunny and we're going to snuggle with you, that way Daddy can get some more sleep."

Charlotte kicked her feet up at him, "Pa!" she squealed, drooling on her fingers.

"Here's the bunny!" Melanie smiled, making the toy hop across the mattress. "Kissy! Kissy!"

They both laughed as Charlotte let out a peal of giggles, clutching onto the toy as Melanie brushed it against her cheek. Pulling the covers up, Chris and Melanie slid under them, pulling their pillows down for further comfort, before lying down.

"Ready for a nap?" Melanie asked, as she pulled the quilt up from the foot of the bed. "Let's get you all snuggly and warm."

Once Charlotte was covered with the quilt, both of her parents scooted closer to her sides, wrapping an arm around her. "I'll be out in less than five seconds," Chris mumbled, his eyes closed. "I'm so tired."

Melanie rubbed her fingers against his arm, "Go to sleep, Chris," she said softly, as Charlotte wiggled around between them.

"Mmhmmm," he grumbled, as his breathing slowly evened out.

Looking down at Charlotte, Melanie gently ran her fingers across her forehead. "Close your eyes, baby girl," she whispered.

Within minutes, as Chris began to snore again, Charlotte's eyes began to droop as both he and Melanie snuggled around her. Once they were both out, Melanie laid quietly and watched, smiling at the sight before her.

….................

The next afternoon, Melanie was quickly packing up her bag for the weekend, as her co-workers milled about outside. In the middle of uploading a PDF to the main network for her students, there was a knock against the door that startled her.

"Rosette!" she smiled, waving her into the room. "What's up?"

The petite American studies professor moved across the room and sat down on the chair in front of Melanie's desk. "Just wanted to see what you were up to," she shrugged, kicking off her heels. "Little bastards in my intro class were being a nightmare today!"

Melanie snorted, "Poor thing," she shook her head. "You should make your hubby your slave tonight."

Rosette snickered, "He's already dragging me upstate for the weekend," she sighed. "Thank god for that, because I really don't want to be in the city at the moment."

"I hear ya," she nodded, powering down her laptop. "There are many days when I want to get the fuck out of here and go back to Seattle. Chris and I started looking at houses near my brother, but it's a tough choice. We really want to move out there with jobs under our belts."

 

"Speaking of hubby's," Rosette grinned, as Melanie blushed. "When is he gonna stop by with your little baby? Last time I saw her, she didn't talk!"

Melanie shoved the laptop into her bag, along with a stack of papers and books. "Well, considering Charlotte's beginning her stage of being a restless toddler, I'm hoping never because I actually like my job."

"But she's soooo cute!" Rosette pouted. "Please? I'm trying to give Rick proof that babies are adorable and that he should put one in me before I turn thirty-two!"

"Good luck with that," she snorted; knowing fully that her husband was very skittish around children.

Rosette sighed, "What are your plans for today?" she yawned, pulling the hair clip out to shake the ebony curls loose. "It's supposed to snow this weekend."

Melanie nodded, "Sadly," she huffed, moving to check the windows of her office. "Chris and I need to go grocery shopping and I want to head up to either Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby to get some thermal pajamas for Charlie. And I did some research about those baby igloo things that you attach to the stroller. Chris doesn't really like brining her out with the temperature being so cold, and when he does, he carries her around all over the place."

"That is so sweet," Rosette sighed. "Nothing is hotter than a man holding a child.  _Nothing!"_  


Slipping on her coat and wrapping her scarf around her neck, Melanie shook her head at the woman. "You could always stop taking your birth control," she offered, picking up her bag.

"Rick would shit himself and die," Rosette snorted, waving her hand at her. "Go on, get out of here before they stop and beg you to stay. I'll call you Sunday when I get back from the woods."

"Have fun!" Melanie laughed, as Rosette quickly left to hide in her own office.

Locking up, Melanie said a quick goodbye to the secretaries in the department office, and made her way towards the elevator bank. Pulling out her cellphone, she quickly checked her emails and read the few texts from her brother, Nyota and Anne. Taking the elevator down to the main level, Melanie quickly slipped her gloves on and made her way towards the door, nodding to security.

"Have a good weekend, Professor!" the young man nodded. "Stay safe out there!"

"You too, Al!" she smiled, as she pushed the door open.

Making her way down the front steps of the building, Melanie gasped at the sight before her. Bundled up in winter gear, Chris stood near the front steps with Charlotte in his arms.

"What are you two doing here?" she gasped, as he kissed her hello. "It's freezing out!"

Charlotte squeaked at the sight of her, holding her hand out to her. "Charlie and I missed you and wanted to see you," he said, as he placed Charlotte into her arms.

"Hi baby," Melanie smiled, kissing her cheek. "Look at you! You're like a human marshmallow!"

Chris took her bag and shouldered it, while Melanie shifted Charlotte in her arms. "You didn't bring her stroller?" she asked, as they started towards the subway.

"It's a pain in the ass to tote around sometimes," he shrugged. "Plus I figured we'd go with you to pick up some jammies and the food."

Melanie nodded, "You sure you want to look at clothes? Last time you looked miserable and I ended up forgetting a lot of stuff."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, "This time I'll be really good," he grinned. "I promise."

"You better," she shook her head, reaching up to fix Charlotte's hat. "Right Charlie girl? Tell Daddy that he better be really good today, or else he wont get any cookies after dinner!"

Charlotte babbled in her arms, looking up at the buildings as they passed by. "I don't think she cares," Chris snorted, as they started down the subway steps. "Besides, I always get my way, even when I'm bad."

Melanie shook her head, "Guess I'll have to try harder to put limits on you and our bedroom activity," she sighed. "Before we start making regular visits back to Doctor Kaui's office."


	3. Chapter 3

By mid-Friday afternoon, the snow was falling heavily upon Manhattan and the East coast. With the entire city on lockdown, Chris was home until further notice, giving Melanie the chance to get some work done to free up her weekend.

"Here we go, Charlie," Chris said from the living room. "We'll watch some Disney and then you'll go down for a nap."

Melanie snorted as she typed up a mass email to send out to her students, all while Jim sent message after message on the Facebook chat box.

_Is it snowing?_

_Can you post pictures?_

_Are you trying to put Charlie down for nap, so u and Chris can bone? Lol.. boneeeee._

Melanie quickly sent a message back, insisting that she needed to get some work done and that she would post pictures of the snow later on.

_It's eleven-thirty and Jo's at school. How about you and my brother bone until you pass out?_

Before Jim could reply, Melanie shut the webpage down and sent out the email, before turning the computer off. Getting up, Melanie made her way to the door and turned the light off, before stepping out into the hall. Making her way into the living room, Melanie found Chris lying out on the sofa while Charlotte sat on his chest with her back against the cushions.

"What are we watching?" Melanie asked, turning to the look at the screen. "Is this Mickey Mouse Clubhouse?" she gasped.

Charlotte babbled and pointed to the television, "'Ouse!" she cried.

"Is that Mickey?" Chris asked, tickling her belly lightly. "Who's that with him? Is that Minnie and Pluto?"

Melanie smiled, "I'm going to figure out what to make for dinner," she said, nodding her head to the kitchen. "Did she eat?"

Chris nodded, "After this is over, I'll put her down for a nap," he said. "Baby girl has been up since seven."

"That sounds oddly familiar," she frowned, as Chris scowled. "I think you said the same thing last week and we ended up on the floor in the bathroom for two hours."

"You attacked me first!" he cried, as Charlotte smacked his chin. "Ow! You're a tough little cookie!"

"Pa! 'Ouse!" she pointed to the television. " "Innie 'Ouse!"

Melanie snickered as she went in search for food, while Chris asked Charlotte whom each character was. "Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse are together!" he said, as Charlotte babbled. "Like Mommy and Daddy are together."

"Muh! Ma!" she shrieked in response.

"Did she just say Ma?" Melanie asked, stepping out of the kitchen. "Did you just say Ma, Charlie?"

Charlotte turned her head and pointed at her, grinning. "Ma!" she shrieked again. "Ma!"

Melanie covered her mouth with both hands and moved to kneel next to the couch, "You said Ma!"

Chris smiled, "Say it again, Charlie girl!" he tickled her lightly. "Go on!"

"Ma! Ma!"

"Oh my little baby," Melanie sobbed, moving to sit on the edge of the cushion. "You're so smart!"

Charlotte was oblivious to what the praise she was receiving was about, but enjoyed the attention that both her parents were giving her. Each kiss was met with a bubbly giggle, along with each tickle and soothing rub on her back. After a few minutes, the show had ended though it had been neglected due to Charlotte's surprise development, and naptime had finally arrived.

Sitting up, Chris took a firm hold on Charlotte and stood up from the sofa, kissing her noisily on the cheek. "Let's get ready for a nap," he said, as Melanie stood on her toes to kiss Charlotte.

"No!" she shook her head, wiggling in his arms. " "Ouse!"

"Mickey is in your crib with Minnie," Melanie nodded. "Daddy will tuck you all in and you'll take a nap together."

Charlotte began to whimper and groan, as Chris started down the hall with her. "Easy Charlie," Chris soothed, as he stepped into the crib. "Just for a little while!"

"NO!" the toddler wailed, before a round of shrill cries filled the back of the apartment.

Melanie sighed and quickly stood from her spot on the couch and made her way down the hall after them. "Try the baby lotion," she said, moving into the nursery, as Chris laid Charlotte out on the changing table. "The one with lavender. It should help calm her down."

Taking the bottle out of the storage basket on the shelf, Melanie set it down on the changing table and moved to get a fresh diaper. Chris took his time removing the thermal onesie, talking to Charlotte as he worked.

"Don't cry," he cooed, rubbing her belly gently. "Just a little nap and then later we can do whatever you want."

It took twenty minutes to rub her down with lavender scented lotion, along with putting a clean diaper and a fresh pair of pajamas, before rocking her to sleep. Once she was out, Chris gently set her down in the crib, tucking her and her Mickey and Minnie mouse toys with the blanket, before pulling side of the crib back up into place.

Setting the mobile and nightlight, Chris and Melanie quickly and quietly made their way out of the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"Jesus," Chris sighed, setting his head back against the door. "I thought she'd never pass out."

"You think it's bad now?" Melanie snorted. "Wait until she hits her terrible twos! Then we'll look back and realize that this was a piece of cake!"

Chris hummed in acknowledgement, before giving her a lazy smile. "Since she's out," he started, pulling her towards him by her hips. "Wanna fool around?"

She snorted, "God, you cannot control yourself, can you?" she shook her head.

"I think three days is long enough, Mel," he pouted, leaning forward to kiss her brow. "Pleaseeee?"

"Okay, okay," she giggled. "But if she wakes up,  _you're_ getting her bottle ready."

He nipped at her neck and smirked, "Yes Ma'am," he growled lightly, before pulling her up into his arms, getting a muffled shout of surprise out of her. "Shhh, before  _you_

wake her up!"

…......................

The weekend rolled by quickly, as Monday morning arrived quicker than the blink of an eye. Lucky to have the day off, Melanie woke up a little after nine and collected Charlotte from the nursery, before brining her down to the kitchen for breakfast. In the middle of feeding her a bowl of mushy baby cereal and mashed bananas, Chris shuffling out of the bedroom.

"Look who's awake!" Melanie snickered, as Charlotte slurped down the cereal. "Doesn't Daddy look like he partied too hard last night?"

 

Chris grumbled as he went to pour a cup of coffee for himself, "What's this?" he asked, standing by the stove.

"That is scrambled eggs and bacon," she said, scooping more cereal onto a spoon. "And yes, everything was cooked through and I promise you wont get sick or die!"

Picking up a piece of bacon, Chris munched nosily as he leaned against the counter. "Not bad," he nodded. "You've improved greatly, my dear."

Melanie snorted as Charlotte smacked her lips, shoving her hand into the bowl of mashed bananas, grinning at her mother. "Silly baby," she shook her head, picking up a napkin to wipe the mess up.

"So what are you planning to do today?" Chris asked, moving to grab a dish from the cupboard. "Going out?"

"Probably not," she shrugged. "The sidewalks weren't cleared that much according to Alice and it's still too cold out."

He nodded, "Besides, I wouldn't be able to push the stroller anywhere and I really don't want to walk around on icy grounds while holding Charlotte," she continued, standing up from the table.

"I think I'm going to look at houses," Chris shrugged, as he sat down at the table with his plate and cup of coffee. "I know it's something we've talked about on and off, but I just want to see if anything else opened up."

"Well, don't get attached to anything, Chris," Melanie warned, taking the carton of juice out of the fridge. "Can't go anywhere until the semester is over and until we find jobs in Seattle."

Chris pierced the eggs with one hand, while tickling Charlotte with the other. "I know that," he nodded. "Just want to get some ideas is all."

She eyed him carefully as she poured juice into a cup, "I was thinking of maybe tying to get Charlie to say a couple more words," she shrugged. "I mean, she's been saying a lot more than what's the norm for a sixteen month old as it is. But I figured a little practice wouldn't hurt."

"Maybe we can teach her a word that isn't "No", that way bedtime is a little easier," he said, wiping the drool off Charlotte's chin with her bib. "Can you say….egg?"

 

Charlotte giggled, covering her face with her hands. "Pa!" she squealed, kicking her legs out. "Pa!"

"How about…" Melanie looked around the kitchen, before setting her sights on a take out menu for sushi. "Sushi! Can you say sushi?"

The toddler managed to pull a scowl across her face, making Chris snort into his cup of coffee. "I don't think she likes that word," he shook his head, as Melanie came over to the table.

"Come on! Say Sushi!" she smiled, as Charlotte shook her head. "Sushi! Yummy!"

"NO!"

Melanie pouted, "You're no fun," she grumbled, sitting down on a chair. "One day I will get you to say sushi and you will love it!" she warned.

Chris chuckled as he fed Charlotte some scrambled eggs, "Maybe we should start off small, Mel," he glanced over at her, as Charlotte accepted the eggs from the plastic spoon. "Let's get a book that we normally read to her and have her point at the pictures and say what they are."

"Pa! Pa! Ohhh!" Charlotte babbled, taking hold of the spoon.

"Don't give her too much," Melanie warned, as Chris gave her another small spoonful of eggs. "She makes a mess in her diaper to begin with and I really don't want to smell it from her diaper. It's bad enough that you're eating so much as it is!"

Chris snorted, "Then why did you make them?" he asked, letting Charlotte gnaw on the spoon.

Melanie shrugged, "It's easy?" she offered, taking a sip from her juice. "I hope I have enough air freshener left, for when you gas out our bedroom later."

"Mommy thinks that everyone else has bad gas," he said to Charlotte, as she looked at him. "But really, she's the worst of them all."

"I am not!" Melanie exclaimed. "You better disappear into the other room, before I lock you in the closet."

He stood up and carefully unsnapped Charlotte from the highchair. "I'm going," he chuckled. "But I'm taking the princess with me!"

"Good," Melanie shrugged. "I hope she leaves a nice one in her diaper for you to clean up!"

Chris scowled before pressing a noisy kiss against Charlotte's cheek. "Ignore her," he said, as they started down the hall. "Mommy is mean to me."

"You weren't saying that last night!" she yelled after him, smirking as he coughed violently in shock.

Melanie shook her head and stood from the table, collecting the plates and cups. Washing everything quickly, Melanie tossed the sponge into the sink and dried her hands on a dish towel.

"Come on, Callie," she sighed, moving down the hall. "Let's go lay down for a while."

Callie meowed and quickly hopped off the chair, running ahead of Melanie and into the master bedroom.

"At least someone wants to cuddle with me," she mumbled, as Chris and Charlotte made a racket in the room across the hall. "Too bad Daddy doesn't want to."

 


	4. Chapter 4

The first full month of the spring semester came and went, as Melanie fell into the life of being a professor, wife and mother all at once. Shortly after her class and office hours came and went, Melanie found herself coming home and juggling house work and caring for Charlotte, while Chris went to work by four in the afternoon. By the time he came home, some nights way after midnight, Chris found her either passed out in bed or struggling to put the baby down for bed.

When Joanna's winter break finally arrived in February, she and Leonard finally surprised Jim with his birthday gift and arrived late Friday night to Manhattan. Melanie tried to stay up, while Chris and Richard went to JFK to pick them up, but ended up passing out on the sofa an hour before they came in. As Chris carried her into the bedroom, both Leonard and Jim noticed how rundown she had looked and began to worry.

"Has she been eating?" Jim asked, early the next morning, as Melanie slept. "I've never seen her look this thin before!"

Chris nodded, "She eats," he said. "But usually it's a granola bar as she's running out the door or a few bites of something in-between the evenings when she has to feed and bathe Charlotte."

 

"What about work?" Leonard asked, as he fed Charlotte her breakfast of mashed pears. "She works the two days and has the two hours in the office afterwards, right?"

"She said work was fine," Chris sighed. "Guys, I really don't know. The last few weeks have been hectic with us both working, keeping this place a safety zone and making sure this one doesn't get into everything."

Charlotte babbled as Leonard wiped her mouth with her bib. "How about you two go out on a night when you don't have work?" Jim suggested. "We can watch Charlotte and you two can go have a date night!"

Leonard nodded, "I think that's a great idea!" he said, as Jim beamed at him. "Go to dinner or to that ice cream place ya'll went to when she was pregnant!"

"But we hardly see you guys," Chris said, as Jim poured himself another cup of coffee. "I figured we'd spend the week together catching up."

"And we will do that," Jim promised. "But we also want to spend time with Charlie and try to reign her into our world of mischief!"

Leonard rolled his eyes and looked at Chris, "Please," he begged. "Take your wife out one night and let us deal with the baby. You two need a date night, which you haven't had since the day Charlotte was born."

Chris opened his mouth to protest, when Leonard shook his head. "I asked Alice and she even told me that you two haven't had a night to yourselves at all in the last year and a half!" he said. "Take her out, have dinner and by the time you come home Charlotte will be tucked into her crib and dreamin' of teacups or whatever the hell ya'll been showin' her."

"I think it's more Minnie and Mickey these days, hon," Jim snorted.

"That's all we can get her to watch at this point," Chris yawned. "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."

 

Leonard snickered as he unstrapped Charlotte from the highchair, "Why don't you go and get an extra hour or two of sleep?" he asked, pulling Charlotte out of the chair. "I'll sit with this one and watch some Saturday morning cartoons for a while."

"Len you're on vaca-" Chris started, before the stern glare stopped him. "Okay, okay.. I'll go!"

"Good man," Leonard nodded, as Chris set his cup of coffee down.

Chris gave Charlotte a quick kiss on the cheek, "Be good," he said to her, as she patted Leonard on the cheek. "Make sure you're watching Disney and nothing else, Len. Usually it's Playhouse Disney at this hour."

"We've got it under control, "Jim chuckled. "Now get! You have a wife who needs some serious cuddling and we have a niece who needs some bonding with her Uncles."

Unable to protest any longer, Chris gave in and made his way back down the hall to the bedroom. As he climbed back under the sheets, he could hear Leonard and Jim talking to Charlotte as they television went on.

"You're such a good little girl," Jim cooed, as Charlotte babbled in her baby talk. "We're going to watch some TV and Joanna will wake up later on to join us, while your Mommy and Daddy get some sleep."

Chris yawned and rolled onto his side, wrapping his arm around Melanie's waist; careful not to wake her, for she needed more than four hours of sleep. It only took a few seconds, before he succumbed to his own exhaustion.

….........

By the time Chris woke up again, it was a little after ten and he was alone. He could hear chatter from the other room, signaling that Melanie was with the baby and the others. Taking a few minutes to freshen up, Chris made his way down the hall and into the living room, where Melanie sat on the floor with Charlotte.

"Are you bopping around?" she giggled, as Charlotte wiggled to the music from the IPod on the table. "You dance like Daddy when he's had too much happy juice."

Joanna giggled from the sofa, while Jim recorded the event on his phone. "Can you do the dougie?" he asked, as Charlotte screeched with happiness. "Or robot?"

At that moment, Melanie looked up and smiled. "Daddy's here!" she cooed, pointing to him. "Charlie! Daddy's here!"

Charlotte squawked and clapped her hands, bouncing even more on her feet. Chris took that moment to step further into the room, leaning over the back of the couch to watch.

"What are you doing, baby?" he chuckled, as Charlotte spotted him. "You dancing?"

"Your kid is a pro!" Jim chuckled. "Let's sign her up for Dancing With The Stars!"

Chris snorted, "She's too young for that," he shook his head, moving around the sofa to stand by Melanie.

Melanie smiled, "Do you want me to make you something?" she asked, looking up at him. "I could make some scrambled eggs."

He shook his head, "I'll just put some bread in the toaster," he said. "Where's your brother?"

"Went to the store," Jim rolled his eyes. "Complained that everything in your kitchen was for a baby, which is pretty funny because you have a baby."

Joanna sighed, "Daddy's just being a baby," she waved her hand at him. "He saw the container of organic lettuce and was yelling about how you guys turned into hippies after Spock and Nyota came to visit."

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Well, he didn't have to lose thirty pounds of baby weight," she shook her head, moving to stand up. "Not everyone can lose weight that fast."

Chris wrapped his arm around her waist, "Easy tiger," he kissed her cheek.

"Could you watch the baby?" she asked Jim. "I'm going to make Mr. Sleepypants some breakfast."

Jim grinned, "Come here, Charlie!" he wiggled his fingers at her. "Come on! Come to Uncle Jim!"

Taking Chris by the hand, Melanie led him to the kitchen and over to the table. "Sit!" she lightly pushed him into the chair.

"Baby, you don't have to make me breakfast," he said, as she moved to the fridge.

"Chris, please let me do this!" she said, taking the carton of eggs out. "You make breakfast for me all the time, so let me do it!"

He held up his hands, "Okay!" he nodded, as she went to the stove. "Did you eat?"

She nodded, "Jim cut up a bunch of fruit and I may've had a mimosa," she blushed.

"A mimosa?" he whistled. "My, my… aren't we fancy this morning."

"A little champagne never hurt nobody," she snorted, as she cracked the eggs into a bowl.

Chris shook his head, "I don't know," he sighed. "I distinctly remember you downing three glasses at Scotty and Gaila's wedding and pulling me into the ladies room, all while trying to take your panties off."

Melanie turned to look at him, "You weren't complaining," she scowled. "In fact it was  _you_ who locked the door and pushed me up against the counter."

"Where the hell did you guys get champagne anyway? It's nine-thirty in the morning on a Saturday," he frowned.

"We had a bottle in the back of the cabinet from New Years," she shrugged. "It wasn't opened and the date was still good, so we cracked it open and now it's in the fridge."

He nodded, "You want one?" she asked, picking up the spatula to stir the eggs around on the pan. "I'll even put an orange wedge on the rim of your glass."

"Sure," he shrugged. "But don't fill two-thirds of the glass with champagne and put a splash of orange juice, Mel. I'd like to be alert today, seeing as I haven't seen my niece since Thanksgiving."

Melanie gasped, "I would never take advantage of you!" she said, moving to get the items for the drink. "Especially so early in the morning while everyone's awake!"

Chris snorted, "Later I'll spike your drink and have my way with you," she winked. "We shouldn't have any problem putting Charlie down for bed tonight, especially when Len and Jim around."

"Thank god," he sighed, as she mixed his drink.

Once the drink was made, Melanie came to the table and set it down before him with the carton of juice. "If it's too strong, just add more juice," she said. "Food should be done in a bit."

Chris picked up the glass and nodded, watching as she bounded over to the stove. With the promise of some alone time later that evening, Chris decided that he would bring up the idea of date night that Leonard and Jim had suggested earlier that morning. Taking a sip of his drink, which was just right in taste, Chris hoped that his wife would find a liking to the idea.

 


	5. Chapter 5

A little later, long after dinner, playtime and bath time, Melanie and Chris finally had their alone time. Leonard and Jim headed down to a bar, while Joanna camped out on the sofa watching television and to make sure they made it through the front door without breaking their necks. Charlotte had been tucked into her crib, after a bedtime story and a massive amount of hugs and kisses from everyone. Now that it was nearing midnight, the couple could barely think straight; let alone keep their eyes opened.

"I know I promised to have my way with you," Melanie yawned. "But I can't even lift my arms up to hold you down."

Chris snorted, "How about I just…fondle you a bit?" he asked, earning a giggle from her. "Probably wouldn't last a second though."

Melanie slowly rolled onto her stomach, pressing the side of her face into the pillow. "We should've taken that opportunity when Charlotte went down for her nap," she mumbled. "Could've done it in the bathroom."

"Maybe we should have a night off," he suggested, as she wiggled against the blankets. "Just a night with you and me, going out to dinner and enjoying some downtime without the baby interrupting."

"How can we have a night off?" she grunted. "Charlotte can stand a second without us unless it's nap-time or bed-time."

Chris rolled over onto his side, "Len and Jim could watch her for a night," he shrugged. "Tire her out, so that when we come home we can come right in here and fool around."

Melanie shifted her head on the pillow, "Alone time means that no one else is in the apartment," she frowned. "How can we really fool around when dumb and dumber are in the next room? And Joanna could hear us."

"Mel, I just want to have one night in which we both get dressed up, go out to dinner and relax," he whined. "I haven't gone out alone with you since before we had Charlotte."

"That's what happens, Chris," she huffed. "You have babies and they become the center of your attention."

 

Chris sighed, "Mel, you're running yourself into the ground between work and taking care of the house and Charlotte," he said. "You need a night with your hands free from doing laundry, sending out emails and making bottles."

She sighed, "Please Mel?" he begged. "Tuesday night. Cancel your office hours after lecture, come home and take a nap if need to, that way you can wake up refreshed and ready to go."

"Okay, okay," Melanie huffed. "I'll cancel my office hours for Tuesday and we'll go out!"

"Yes!" Chris cried in triumph, before pulling her into his arms. "I promise, you'll thank me so much afterwards. We really need this, Mel.  _You_ need this."

"But if I get one text or call from my brother or Jim that Charlotte is not being good for them," she warned. "We're coming home."

He kissed her gently on the lips, "Whatever you want, Mel," he nodded. "Ready for bed?"

She nodded, "So ready," she yawned again. "I hope to god those two come in quietly. If they wake the baby, I'll castrate and slaughter them and we'll adopt Joanna as our own."

Chris snorted, "Okay, time for bed," he pulled the blanket up to cover her. "Put that violent mind to rest now."

…................

Monday morning brought sunshine and the ability to bring the stroller out onto the sidewalk, as the Pikes and McCoys bundled up for a day in the park.

"I am so glad some of this snow melted, "Melanie said, as she pushed the stroller. "I hate the way this city plows and salts this part of our area."

Joanna held onto Jim's hand tightly as they walked, "Can we build a snowman?" she asked, as they waited at the corner. "And have hot chocolate with marshmallows?"

"Of course we can!" Jim grinned. "And then maybe we'll throw a few snowballs at your Dad!"

Leonard cursed, "If you want to come home at the end of the week, you'll do no such thing," he snapped. "Why is it so goddamn cold here?!"

"It's winter," Chris stated. "It's supposed to be cold."

"Don't sass me, Pike," Leonard grumbled. "How anyone could have fun walking in the goddamn cold is beyond me!"

Crossing the street, the group made their way through one of the many entrances to Central Park; the walkway had been plowed, salted and shoveled, leaving hardly any traces of ice or snow from the small storm that passed the week before. Moving the stroller to the side, Melanie moved around to make sure Charlotte was snuggled deep into the stroller blanket that was attached to the actual stroller.

"Are you all toasty in there?" she cooed, as Charlotte gave her a smile. "My goodness, Charlie! Daddy and Uncle Jim really doubled up on the layers, huh?"

"She's too young to have missing limbs," Chris pouted. "Plus, I don't want her catching a cold!"

Jim snorted, "You just want to get it in tomorrow night," he whispered, nudging him.

Chris glared at him, "Don't you have a snowman to make?" he asked, as Joanna hopped around in her snow boots.

"Come on, Jo," Jim laughed. "Uncle Chris is being a baby!"

Joanna took his hand, "Don't be a baby!" she giggled, as Jim lead her down the walkway. "Daddy! Come on!"

Leonard grumbled and pulled the collar of his jacket up higher, "Calm your horses, Jo! I'm coming!" he yelled, as Joanna grew impatient. "You two gonna be okay?"

"Go on," Chris nodded. "We'll catch up in a bit."

He nodded and followed Jim and Joanna, leaving them at the bench. Melanie reached around the stroller and grabbed the blanket from the under storage bin, shaking it out.

"I think she's warm enough, Mel," Chris chuckled, as she set the blanket over the top of the stroller. "Right Charlie? Tell Mommy that you're snug as a bug and ready to go."

Charlotte squealed as Melanie picked up the pacifier that fell into the hood of her coat. "I just want to block the wind out, Chris," she said, putting the pacifier in Charlotte's mouth.

"If it gets to windy, we'll pull the blanket down and call it a day," he promised, kissing her cheek. "Let's go catch up with the others before they got lost and the police end up calling. You're brother is quite capable of getting them thrown into jail with his attitude."

…..

They played in the park until the temperature dropped and the wind picked up, turning their noses red and their fingers stiff with cold. Restless and in need of a diaper change, Charlotte became fussy as ever, whimpering to the point where crying was evident. Unstrapping her from the "igloo" as Chris called it, Charlotte was wrapped up with the extra blanket and snuggled against her father's chest.

"Okay Charlie," he cooed, as she whimpered. "We'll go right home and we'll give you a nice warm bottle."

"I think hot showers are in need after today!" Jim declared, as he carried Joanna. "I can't even feel my nose. Can you feel your nose?"

Joanna shook her head, "No," she said, as her teeth chattered. "Can we have more hot chocolate when we get back?"

Leonard nodded, "Hot shower and then hot chocolate," he said, tugging her hat further down on her head. "Then we're going to wrap you up like a burrito."

Heading towards the exit of the park, the group quickly made their way up the six blocks to the apartment, all while shivering and cursing the bitter cold that sank deep into their bones. By the time they reached the apartment, Charlotte was wailing her lungs out as Chris tried to settle her.

"Baby, baby.." he jiggled her. "Look, we're home! We're home."

Melanie handed the keys over to Leonard, before closing up the stroller. "Here we go," Leonard said, pulling the door open. "Everyone in!"

Jim and Joanna quickly made their way into the building, followed by Melanie and the stroller.

"Get her right into the bath, Chris," Leonard said, as they started up the stairs. "I'll put the bottle together for her, that way Jim can put Jo in the shower first."

As soon as they stepped foot into the apartment, Chris and Melanie made a mad dash to their bedroom, their wet boots squelching against the hardwood floor.

"I'll put the water on," Melanie yelled, as she ran into the bathroom. "Get her out of those clothes!"

The water went on as Charlotte continued to screech, kicking her legs out as Chris removed the layers of clothing from her. Melanie came out of the bathroom, tossing her coat and other winter apparel onto the bed a few minutes later.

"Ready?" she asked, as Chris picked her up. "Come on, Charlie girl. Let's warm you up and then we'll give you a bottle."

Taking the baby, Melanie started towards the bathroom. "Get one of the short sleeve onesies from the top drawer of the dresser," she said, as Chris pulled his own jacket off. "Then I need one of her thermal footie pajamas, as well as a diaper."

Chris nodded, "Put her in the bath," he said, as he started towards the bedroom door. "I'll get her clothes and I'll double check on that bottle."

Dashing across the hall, Chris grabbed the necessary supplies, as well as the blanket from Charlotte's crib. He could still hear her crying from the bathtub, as Melanie tried to soothe her.

"She's still cryin'?" Leonard asked, as he came down the hall with the bottle. "Poor girl is probably chilled to the damn bone."

"Thank you," Chris said, as he took the bottle from him. "Hopefully this is all the result of being hungry and needing a nap."

Leonard nodded, "Hopefully," he sighed. "I'm gonna check on those two before they flood out your spare bathroom."

Going their separate ways, Chris made his way back into the bedroom and set the clothes down on the bed and the bottle on the nightstand. "How's she doing?" he asked, as Melanie pulled the toddler out of the tub.

"I think we made a big mistake staying out for so long," Melanie said, as she wrapped the towel around her. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you dried off and dressed!"

Charlotte continued to wail as Melanie dressed her, her face scrunched up and angry as her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Swaddling her in the blanket, Chris picked her up and cradled her in his arm, while Melanie tested the temperature of the bottle.

"Here we go," he said, as Charlotte's cries turned into stuttering whimpers.

Easing the nipple of the bottle in her mouth, Charlotte began to furiously suck the formula down. Melanie let out a sigh of relief, while Chris shifted the toddler in his arms.

"That's what you wanted, huh?" she said, shaking her head. "My goodness, Charlie. We're gonna have to get you talking full sentences soon."

Chris snorted as Charlotte continued to slurp down her meal, "I just hope to god she doesn't get sick now," he sighed, as Charlotte's eyes began to droop. "Please don't get sick, Charlie. Pleaseeee!"

"We'll have to keep an eye on her, "Melanie sighed, as she stood up. "I'm going to change quickly and then I'll take her so you can change."

He nodded, "I'll let the others know that there's soup in the cabinet," he said, as Melanie grabbed a pair of sweats from the dresser. "I think I'll stay with Charlie until she warms up and settles down for a nap."

"I'll stay with you," she nodded, pulled a sweatshirt off the back of the chair. "We can get under the blankets and cuddle like Eskimos."

As she changed in the bathroom, Jim appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. "How's she doing?" he asked, rubbing the towel over his head. "Look at her go with that bottle."

 

Chris chuckled, "I think she's gonna be okay," he shrugged. "We're gonna lay in here for a while, just until she warms up a bit and conks out."

Jim nodded, "I'm gonna make Jo some hot chocolate and I think she's gonna take a nap too," he said. "Poor girl looks beat for the day."

"There's soup in the cabinet if you guys want any," Chris said, as Melanie came out of the bathroom. "Whatever you guys need.."

"Thanks," Jim nodded. "We'll wake you a little later to figure out dinner and stuff."

Melanie took Charlotte and nodded, "If you guys get hungry before hand you can eat, Jim," she smiled. "Don't worry about us."

He nodded, "I'll let you guys get some rest," he said, taking the doorknob in his hand. "Get some sleepies, Charlie girl. Tomorrow your Uncle Jim and Uncle Bones are gonna teach you some breakdancing."

With a quick wave, Jim pulled the door shut and left them in silence. Moving towards the bed, Melanie set Charlotte against her hip and pulled the blankets down with one hand.

"Here we go," she said, setting her down in the middle of the bed. "Snuggle time."

Chris quickly stripped out of his damp clothes and tossed them into the hamper, before grabbing a pair of sweatpants from the laundry basket. Once he was semi-dressed, he climbed into bed next to his wife and daughter, pulling the blankets up and over him.

"Ready for a nap?" he asked, as Charlotte yawned widely. "I take that as a yes."

Melanie shifted against the pillows before settling down, placing one hand lightly against Charlotte's belly. "Me too," she sighed deeply. "Snow makes me sleepy."

Chris chuckled, "Everything makes you sleepy," he yawned.

"Mmhmmm," she nodded, her eyes closed at that point. "Kay, night."

As Melanie fell asleep, her hand limp against Charlotte's belly, Chris moved his gaze to the toddler. "Sleepy?" he whispered, as Charlotte's eyes drooped. "Go to sleep, baby girl."

Chris laid quietly on he side, watching as Charlotte quietly fell asleep between them both; her little chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. As the late afternoon settled over the city, nothing else mattered at that moment as he watched the two most important people in his life sleep. Pulling the blanket up to Charlotte's chin, Chris settled his head down on the pillow and relaxed; the exhaustion of the day, finally taking over.

 


	6. Chapter 6

"You better wear your best panties, Miss Mellie," Jim snickered, as she stood before the bathroom mirror. "Make this night worth it, honey."

Melanie looked away from the mirror, the eyeliner pencil in her hand. "Really Jim?" she sighed. "Chris likes all of my panties."

Jim snorted, "You got that right," he said. "Little Charlie in there is all the proof we need for that statement."

"Shouldn't you be picking out my outfit?" she asked, moving back to apply the finishing touches of her makeup. "You banned my husband from coming in here, after picking out his clothes. Then you force him to take a shower in that shitty bathroom we let you guys use, with the temperamental water pressure and what not."

"My goodness, you are pretty bitchy today," he chuckled, moving away from the door to the closet. "For someone who is totally getting laid tonight, you'd be a bit more cheerful."

She snorted, "Trust me! I am!" she yelled, as Jim ripped through the closet. "Hmmmm… let's see what we've got here."

Once her makeup was done and to her liking, Melanie stepped out of the bathroom just as Jim pulled a short black dress out of the closet. "This is totally hot," he gasped, twisting the hanger around in his hand. "Yes! You're totally wearing this tonight!"

"I don't even think that fits me anymore, Jim!" she said. "There's a floral printed dress that'll work."

But he shook his head, "Nope!" he shoved the garment at her. "Tonight you are the hot and sexy wife with the baby at home. Not the frumpy housewife who rather be home instead of on the arm of my sexy husband."

"My clothes aren't frumpy," she pouted, as Jim pulled out a pair of heels that were way too high. "And I am not wearing those! I'll end up slipping on ice and breaking my neck, and neither of us will be getting laid for a long time."

"Just get your ass in the bathroom, get dressed and trust me," Jim sighed. "I would never send you out there, looking like shit."

With a reluctant sigh, Melanie went back into the bathroom and closed the door. Jim set the heels down on the bed and moved to the dresser, poking through Melanie's jewelry box as she changed in the other room. As he rifled through the array of bracelets and rings, the bathroom door swung open.

"Oh god, my ass is still fat as ever," she groaned, stepping out. "Chris is going to laugh at me."

Jim turned around and whistled, "If I wasn't dating your brother and you weren't married, I would totally bang you," he said, eyes moving from heat to toe. "I wouldn't even blame you guys, if you skipped dinner and rented a hotel room tonight."

Melanie tugged at the very short skirt of the dress, "It's good?" she asked, turning around in a full circle. "I don't look like a Kardashian sister, stuffing myself into a fancy dress?"

"Mel, you're hot!" he insisted. "Let's get some sparkles on ya and knock Chris's socks off!"

.................

"Do you think they're doing it in the bathroom at the restaurant?" Jim snickered, as he set the dirty dishes into the sink. "How long until we get the phone call to pick them up at the jail house?"

Leonard scowled, as he carried Charlotte around on his hip. "I think they're having a lovely dinner and enjoying their night off from baby duty," he said.

Charlotte squealed as Joanna came into the room, holding a book under her arm. "Ah! Ah!" she pointed at her. " "Oh!"

"Is that Jo?" Leonard asked, kissing her cheek. "Jo Jo's gonna read you a story, baby girl."

Setting her down on wobbly legs, Leonard held her up in a standing position as Joanna took her hand. "Just take it easy, Jo. She's still learnin'." Leonard sighed, as Charlotte took a few wobbly steps.

"Come on, Charlie," Jo cooed. "We're going to read a story!"

Jim and Leonard watched as Joanna slowly walked Charlotte out of the kitchen and into the next room.

"How long do you think it'll take for them to pass out?" Jim asked, as Charlotte screeched with joy in the other room.

"Not for a while," Leonard sighed, turning to look at him. "Why? You tired already?"

The blonde shook his head, "I just want to know when I can have my way with you, without having the two of them interrupting," he grinned. "I already told Jo that she could camp out on the sofa again tonight with the television on."

Leonard snorted, "Just what I need," he shook his head. "My sister and Chris bursting into the apartment, tearing at each others clothes and my daughter on the couch."

"OH god, it's not like they'll start fucking in the living room or on the damn floor," Jim huffed.

"You don't know my sister then," he shook his head. "I guaran-fucking-tee, that they've fucked all over this place since moving in."

Jim shrugged, "So?" he asked. "We've done it almost all over the house after I moved in.."

Leonard shook his head, "You're insane," he muttered, moving to the sink. "Wipe that table down and put the left overs into the fridge!"

"Yes, Sir!" Jim smirked. "My, you are very sexy when you're bossy.

"Don't get your hopes up, Jim," he warned, turning the sink on. "I may just force you to put Charlie to bed tonight."

Jim shook his head, "No way!" he cried. "I'm the one that woke up this morning to watch her, while Mel got ready for work! You and Chris were too lazy to get out of bed to give her a bottle and clean her diaper!"

"That's because I had to listen to you bitch and moan all night about having frost-bite on your toes and on your goddamn ass," he snapped. "Hoggin' all the damn blankets and kickin' like a epileptic!"

"I love you too, Bones," Jim snorted, as he stepped away from the counter. "No really, I love you. You sure know how to make my heart swoon and make a boy feel real special."

Leonard snorted, "You're a pain in the ass, kid," he sighed. "I don't know what I'm gonna do with you at this point."

Jim wrapped his arms around his neck, "Can't get rid of me," he shrugged. "I'd follow you all over the world and sleep right outside your door."

"God help me."

............….

The sound of keys and a shoe hitting the floor, followed by snickering, echoed off the wall as the couple tried to unlock the front door.

"Shhh," Chris snorted, as Melanie tried to wrap her leg around his hip. "Mel, before the neighbors wake up."

"Hurry then!" she whined, as he tried to get the key into the lock. "How about we just do it here? SO what if the neighbors come out? They've already seen my vagina!"

Chris finally got the right key in, and quickly unlocked the door. "Because we could get arrested for having sex in public," he said, pushing the door open quietly. "And I really want to fuck you in our bed, where it's comfortable."

She moaned lightly, "God, I really, really,  _really_  want you to nail me into the mattress," she bit her lip.

"Oh my god," he pushed her lightly into the apartment, before bending down to retrieve her shoe. "Someone had a little too much wine with their dinner tonight."

Melanie kicked off her other shoe, and dropped her clutch on the floor, "Shhh," she placed her finger against her lips. "Get in here before the baby wakes up!"

Once in the apartment, the door closed and locked up, Chris set the other shoe on the hall table and quickly pulled Melanie into his arms. "You better," he kissed her, "be quiet or else I'll gag you."

"Oh  _god,"_ she gasped, as he picked her up. "Do whatever you want, Chris! Just get me in that bed!"

He started down the hall to the bedroom, his hands sliding up and under the skirt of her too-short dress. "Goddamn, the things you do to me," he whispered, as she nibbled on his earlobe. "How did I get so lucky?"

"You make really good food and know how to treat a lady," she smirked, as they crashed into the bedroom. "And how you work with your hands.. and your mouth."

Chris bit her lips lightly as he shut the door, "You're really putting the works in for this, huh?" he asked, walking across the room in three steps, before dropping her onto the bed.

Melanie crawled back to sit in the middle of the bed, "Wanna make it special," she smirked, as he crawled over her. "Very special."

"Then I guess I better work twice as hard to make that happen," he whispered, grinning down at her.

"Well, you better get to work then," she purred. "Before we're interrupted and have to postpone this little adventure."

Chris leaned down and captured her lips with his, pushing her lightly down on the mattress. "Remember to keep it down," he warned, as she laid out across the comforter.

"Oh, I'll try," she moaned. "But I can't promise total silence."

…...............

The next morning, Jim and Leonard were up and making breakfast, when Chris made his way out into the kitchen.

"Well," Jim shook his head. "I guess someone had a  _little_ too much fun last night."

Chris grunted, rubbing a hand over his face. "Coffee," he huffed, moving to sit at the table. "Hey Jo."

"Are you sick?" she frowned, cocking her head to the side. "You look like Daddy after he's had too many happy juices with Uncle Scotty."

Jim snickered, "He's fine, Jo," Leonard rolled his eyes. "He just stayed up way past his bedtime."

"How about you go check on Charlie?" Jim offered, brining a cup of coffee over to the table. "If she's awake then that means she's hungry and ready to see her parents."

Joanna quickly got up from the table and dashed out of the room, leaving the adults to talk.

"So," Leonard picked up the package of bacon. "How dead to the world is my sister right now?"

"Oh she's dead all right," Chris sighed, wrapping his hands around the cup. "Didn't fall asleep 'til four-thirty."

Jim whistled, "Damn Chris!" he shook his head. "How can you even keep up that long? Are you on Viagra or one of those fancy-named pills?"

"JIM!" Leonard hissed, whacking him on the arm.

"No Jim, I don't take Viagra or one of those fancy-named pills," Chris snorted. "I'm just that good."

Leonard snorted, "Oh please," Jim shook his head. "Well, if Mel calls us up in a few months with news of a bun in the oven, then we'll now that last night was a success!"

Chris shook his head, "No babies for a while," he said, as Joanna came back into the room. "Not until Charlie's a bit older."

 

"She's awake!" Joanna said, moving back to her chair. "I think she pooped because she stinks."

"I'll go change her diaper," Leonard said, as Jim took the spatula from him. "How about you get the Queen up from her chamber? Poor girl needs to eat something."

Jim snickered again, "Oh she ate," he muttered, before yowling as Leonard kicked his shin. "ASS! I'm standing with a pan of grease here, and you're kicking me!"

"Don't be a nasty pig," Leonard shot back, as he started out of the kitchen. "Jo-Jo, get the forks out of the drawer and Jim will give you the plates."

Chris stood up and started to the counter, pulling a cup out of the cabinet. "Here's the plates, Jo," he said, taking a stack out off the shelf. "Just be careful or else Aunt Mellie will be whiney all morning if they break."

Pouring a cup of coffee and adding a bit of sugar, Chris picked the cup up and started down the hallway to the bedroom. Upon entering the room, Chris got a full view of Melanie's bare-back, as she laid face down in bed; her hair fanned out on the pillow and her arms shoved under the pillows. Pushing the door closed, Chris made his way around the bed and set the coffee down on the table, before sitting on the bed.

"Mel?" he gently rubbed her back, earning a groan from her. "Time to wake up."

 

"Uhhhhhh, no," she grunted, pressing her face deeper into the pillow.

Chris leaned forward and kissed her shoulder, "Breakfast is cooking and I have coffee," he bribed. "Plus, you need to put clothes on.. as much as it pains me to say this."

Melanie managed to roll over slowly, not caring that she was completely naked as the day she was born. "Hmmm, 'M'tired.." she yawned.

"I know you're tired, but you need to eat something and put clothes on," he said, as her face scrunched up with disgust at the thought. "Plus Charlie wants to see you."

"Fineeeee," she grumbled, throwing her forearm across her face. "I need clothes."

Chris got up from the bed and moved towards the dresser, digging through the drawers for comfortable clothes. Sitting up, Melanie let the sheet fall to her lap, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Hmmm," she groaned, as he returned to the bed. "I don't want to get out of bed."

 

He snorted, "Wore you out, huh?" he asked, shaking the shirt out. "Arms up."

Melanie did what she was told, "I'll be walking funny for a week," she said, as the shirt came down across her top. "Worth it though."

 

Helping her out of bed, Melanie groaned at the burn of her muscles and the ache in her bones, as she slipped on a pair of panties and sweats. Taking the cup of coffee from Chris, Melanie took a few sips before sighing.

"Good?" he asked, as she clutched the cup to her chest.

"For the most part," she breathed deeply. "Come on.. before they think we're going at it again."

She groaned, "But that requires walking and being social," she stomped her foot light on the carpet. "Can you just bring my food in here, along with Charlie?"

"Nope," he shook his head. "Let's go! March you butt out to the kitchen and be social with your brother and his boyfriend."

"You're so meannnnn!" she whined, as he lead her out the door. "After I let you do  _unspeakable_ things to me, this is the thanks I get?"

Chris snorted, "Sweetheart, the  _unspeakable_ things I did to you last night, are things I would've done without your permission," he swatted her behind. "Now, stop stalling and move it!"

Grumbling, Melanie stomped half-assed into the kitchen, muttering threats under her breath as Chris chuckled behind her.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Chris and Leonard lugged eight bags up three flights of stairs; all while shivering from the bitter cold that consumed the city. From outside the front door, they could hear the television playing some sort of cartoon, as Chris struggled to unlock the door.

"I fucking hate this place," he hissed, finally getting the key into the lock. "I miss having fucking windows, so that people could see when your goddamn car pulled up."

Finally, the lock clicked and the knob turned, allowing the heavy door to swing open. Stepping into the apartment, Chris kicked the door shut with his foot and followed Leonard into the kitchen, dropping all the bags onto the table.

"Why don't I hear noise that isn't related to some horrifying cartoon show?" Leonard asked, pulling off his coat. "Usually Jim would be running in here like a madman."

"The hell if I know," Chris said, dropping his jacket on the back of the chair. "Mel? Jim?"

Stepping into the living room, Chris caught and eyeful of a Disney cartoon playing on the television, before taking note of the bodies on one sofa. Moving closer, he saw that it was Jim and Joanna, snuggled against one another and fast asleep. Turning to the next sofa, he found Melanie sprawled out across the cushions and out cold. On her chest, covered in a pink blanket and out cold, was Charlotte. Grabbing the remote, Chris turned the television off and moved back into the kitchen.

"Did you find them?" Leonard asked, as he pulled the refrigerator door open.

"They're all sleeping," he nodded, pulling a bag of carrots and a box of pasta out of another bag. "I take it they had a long day."

It was only Thursday, the day before Jim's birthday and Melanie's last work day of the week. An hour after Melanie left for work, Chris left Jim in charge of watching Charlotte, while Joanna dozed in and out on the sofa. With plans to celebrate Jim's birthday with a big dinner and cake, they needed to shop and find a place that would have a cake ready on such short notice. Something, as Chris and Leonard moved from bakery to bakery, that wasn't so easy in Manhattan.

"God, I hope we can get through tomorrow without any issue," Leonard sighed, tossing the empty bags into the wicker basket on the shelf.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Chris nodded. "Cake should be ready to pick up by eleven and the day will be great."

Just then, Melanie shuffled into the kitchen; Charlotte nestled against her chest and wrapped up in her blanket.

"What's going on," she yawned, rubbing the toddler's back. "Did ya get everything for tomorrow?"

Chris nodded, "Jim's birthday dinner is all covered as well as his cake," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Did you have a good nap?"

Melanie groaned, "No," she mumbled, shifting Charlotte in her arms. "Let's just say I took a three hour "angry" nap and now I feel like shit."

"Bad day?" Leonard asked.

She nodded, "Half of my class is filled with idiots, who will end up failing and will be held back from graduating," she huffed. "Then I slammed my goddamn hand in the file cabinet and stubbed my toe against the lectern."

Moving her hand out from under the blanket, Melanie showed them the medical tape that held both her pointer and middle finger taped together.

"Jesus Christ," Chris exclaimed, grabbing her wrist lightly. "What the hell?!"

"Shhh," she hissed, as Charlotte stirred against her neck. "Do you know how long it took for her to fall asleep?"

He sighed, "Sorry! But Mel, what the hell happened?" he asked, examining her fingers. "Are they broken?"

"No, thank god," she sighed. "I went down to the medical wing and the lady wrapped them up. They were a little swollen, but I was able to bend and move them."

"You should've called me," Chris shook his head. "You should get an X-ray to see if they're fractured."

Melanie nodded, "If the swelling doesn't go all the way down then I'll go," she promised. "For now, I'll just put some ice on it and pop a pain pill."

"Then no wine shall be consumed with your dinner tonight," Leonard snorted, as Chris took the baby. "At least it's your left hand, and not the hand you write with."

"How's your toe?" Chris asked, setting the blanket around Charlotte.

She sat down at the table and yawned, "That hurts too," she said, holding up her foot. "Luckily it's not broken or bruised, but still."

Leonard shook his head, "You need a caution sign on you at all times," he snorted. "You're a walking train wreck."

"Fuck you," she snapped, earning an eye roll from him. "Sorry! Just not in the mood right now for anything."

Chris nodded, "Why don't you go lay down in the bedroom for a while?" he suggested. "I'll put Charlie in her crib and we'll start dinner, that way you can get some more rest."

"Just don't take a pain pill yet," Leonard said. "Take a nap, come out for dinner and then you can take it."

"When did you become a doctor?" Melanie glared at him.

Leonard rolled his eyes again, "I know enough that you shouldn't take heavy drugs on an empty stomach," he shot back, as he moved towards the living room. "I'm going to check on these two."

Once he left, Chris turned and shook his head at Melanie. "You shouldn't be mean, Mel," he said. "I know you had a bad day and that you're tired, but he's only trying to help."

"Yes Chris! I know, I'm a bitch!" she rolled her eyes, standing up from the chair. "Have fun cooking dinner."

"Melanie!"

She ignored him as she started out of the kitchen, storming down the hall to the bedroom. The door slammed shut behind her, which made Charlotte whimper, as she buried her face into Chris's shoulder.

"I'm going to kill her," he muttered, hoping that Charlotte wouldn't wake up. "God help me."

Luckily, Charlotte didn't wake up and promptly drooled against on his shirt. "Good girl," he whispered, kissing the top her head. "Let's get you into bed now."

…........................

Chris was the first one up the following morning, easing his way out of bed quietly to use the bathroom around seven. Moving quietly across the hall, he stepped into Charlotte's room and found her standing up against the bars of her crib.

"Pa!"

"Shhh, baby," he made his way over to her. "Everyone's sleeping."

Taking her out, Chris set her down on the changing table and quickly went about, changing her diaper and talking quietly to her. Once a fresh diaper was secure and her onesie was snapped up, Chris scooped her back up and grabbed her Mickey doll out of the crib.

"Daddy's gonna make breakfast for you," he told her, as they started towards the kitchen. "What do you want for breakfast? Last time we had eggs you had to take a bath twice, so we wont go that route again."

"Pa-Pa, 'nanas!" she babbled, before drooling on her fingers.

He grinned, "Bananas?" he asked, pulling the highchair closer to him. "You want some bananas?"

Setting her in, Chris moved to prepare her breakfast of mashed bananas and a bowl of rice cereal. Along with a bottle of formula warming up on the stove and the coffee pot running, Chris sat at the table and fed Charlotte slowly.

"Mommy's not feeling good," he told her, as she sucked down the spoonful of cereal. "Should we bring Mommy coffee and see if she wants breakfast?"

"Mamamamama," she wiggled in her chair, slapping her hands on the tray. "EEE! EEE!"

Chris chuckled as she giggled, throwing her hands up against her face. "You're a silly girl, Charlie," he wiped her mouth with the edge of the bib. "Let's finish your breakfast and get Mommy out of bed."

Once the bowls were half empty, the bottle was warm enough and the coffee was finished. Juggling a toddler, a cup of coffee and a bottle took a lot of practice, which Chris had plenty of for the last year and a half. When they stepped into the bedroom, Melanie was buried underneath the bedding and Charlotte was growing fussy.

"Shhh," he whispered, setting the coffee cup on the dresser. "Go wake up Mommy," he said, setting her down on the bed.

Charlotte squealed and crawled towards the pillows, as Chris picked the coffee up. Hearing the sudden noise, Melanie began to stir under the mountain of blankets.

"Mel?" Chris pulled the blankets down just enough to see her face. "I have coffee… and a baby."

"Hmmmm?" she cracked on eye open. "Wha?"

He set the coffee cup on the table and pulled the blankets down a bit more, "Coffee and a baby," he repeated. "Charlie's here."

Turning her head, Melanie spotted Charlotte crawling on Chris's side of the bed. "Charlie, what are you doing?"

"Ma!"

Lifting her arm up, Melanie carefully pulled the toddler closer and sighed. "Did you eat?"

"She had bananas and cereal," Chris nodded, as Charlotte tried to crawl onto Melanie's chest. "I have a bottle on the dresser with her name on it."

She nodded, "Kay," she sighed, closing her eyes again.

"Drink your coffee," Chris said, as he went to get the bottle. "It's bad enough that you didn't eat dinner last night. "

Melanie grumbled as she sat up slowly in bed, reaching for the cup with one hand. Taking slow sips, Melanie kept her free hand on Charlotte, who took to climbing on her like a jungle gym.

 

"Here comes Daddy with your bottle," she said, as Chris climbed up onto the bed. "Bottle time!"

Taking the toddler from her, Chris sat Charlotte on his lap and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Here we go," he said, easing the nipple into her mouth. "Eat this and then we'll see about watching cartoons."

As Charlotte slurped the rest of her breakfast down, Melanie drank her coffee quietly with one hand. Her now bruised fingers on her left hand, laid stiff in her lap, the medical tape fraying.

"Did you take a pain pill last night?" Chris asked, as Charlotte grabbed onto her bottle. "You were out cold when I came in to tell you that dinner was ready."

She nodded, "And how's the pain now?" he asked. "Swelling doesn't look like went down at all."

"They hurt, but I'll live," she sighed. "I'll go to the doctor tomorrow, Chris. I'm not going to sit in the ER all day long, especially on Jim's birthday."

"So we'll go tomorrow," he nodded, as Charlotte finished with her bottle. "All done?"

Charlotte smacked her lips together while looking up at him, "Half a bottle," he shrugged, as Melanie took it from him. "What do you think, Mommy? Should we let her watch cartoons?"

Melanie shrugged, "I think we should let Mommy sleep some more," she suggested, setting the cup and bottle on the nightstand. "Because right now she feels like a tsunami is in her belly."

"Uh oh," Chris gasped, looking down at Charlotte. "Should we leave Mommy a bucket?

"Just leave this bathroom free," Melanie sighed, sinking down under the blankets. "Because I have no idea what's going to happen."

Chris winced, "I'll make some toast, " he said, moving Charlotte from his lap and onto the mattress. "You need something in your system, Mel. That's why Len said to wait until you ate something before popping a Vicodin."

"Yeah well…" she mumbled. "Come here, Charlie. Keep me company so Daddy can make toast.

Pulling her close, Melanie pulled the blanket up and covered both herself and Charlotte.

"I'll get that toast ready and some water so that you can rest a bit," he sighed, getting up from the bed. "Just try not to move around too much."

"Aye aye, Captain," she nodded, hugging Charlotte to her chest. "Watch your feet, Ninja baby. One kick to the belly and I'll be puking all over you."

 


	8. Chapter 8

After breakfast with the birthday boy, Leonard took him out for the afternoon to walk around the city and for lunch. Once they left, Chris went to pick up the cake from the bakery, as Melanie and Jo cleaned up the kitchen to prepare dinner.

"Okay Jo!" Chris helped her up onto the step stool. "You sure you have everything?"

Joanna nodded as she opened the box of cake mix, "Are you sure your oven can hold thirty cupcakes?" she asked, as Chris set a bowl down on the counter.

"If we put the trays in a certain way, " he nodded, as Melanie set Charlotte into the high chair.

"We're going to have so much cake after today," she sighed, moving to the sink.

Chris chuckled, "Are you kidding? Between your brother and Jim, this cake will be gone by tomorrow night," he said.

Melanie wiped her hands on a dishtowel and stepped closer to the duo, as Joanna started putting the batter together. "Easy with the eggs, Jo. You don't want any part of the shells in there now."

As Joanna carefully followed the directions on the back of the box, Melanie went to the refrigerator and started pulling out all the ingredients for the tabbouleh salad that Chris promised to make.

Charlotte babbled from the high chair, smacking her hands against the cheerios that littered the tray. "Baby girl, what are you doing?" Chris asked, moving over to clean up the mess. "We eat the cheerios."

"No!" she shook her head. "Nooo!"

"How about we have some fruit puffs?" he asked, grabbing the container off the counter near the microwave. "Look Charlie! Yummy!"

Melanie snorted as she washed off the tomatoes and scallions in the sink, "I don't think she wants to eat her food, Chris," she shook her head. "I think she's in the destruction mode right now."

Chris sighed, "I don't want her to make it a habit," he ran his fingers through her hair.

"She'll make it a habit because it's what babies do," Melanie said. "Jo used to do this all the time and Len would swear up and down how she would NEVER smear mash potatoes on the walls."

Joanna giggled, "And she did!" Melanie continued, setting the first tomato on the cutting board. "And I remember something with chocolate syrup being smeared all over the bathroom mirror, in that shitty apartment they moved into after… you know."

Chris nodded, "Well, I guess we'll just have to lock all that stuff up," he nodded, looking back at Charlotte. "Right? You're not going to be a messy kid!"

Charlotte screeched and pointed at him, "'nanas!" she babbled. "'nanas! 'nanas!"

"More bananas?" he sighed. "Charlotte, you're going to have a tummy ache later!"

"Just give her half of one," Melanie said, pausing her chopping to help Jo with mixing the batter. "And instead of formula, give her water. I find that if you give her bananas and formula too much, her diaper needs to be changed frequently."

Chris sighed and looked back at Charlotte, "I guess you're getting your bananas, missy," he said, tapping her nose lightly.

"Hurry up and feed her," Melanie said. "We need to get half of this stuff done and into the fridge before my brother and Jim come home!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Chris saluted her, moving to grab a banana out of the fruit bowl, ignoring the scowl she sent his way. "Mommy's making me force feed you now, Charlie. I hope you're happy!"

"Mamamamamamama!"

He snorted, "Okay Charlie," he sighed, cutting the banana in half. "Whatever you say."

.............

"I think this was the  _best_ birthday dinner I've ever had," Jim smirked, leaning back in the chair. "Like ever!"

Melanie smiled as she came to the table with a bottle of wine, "I'm glad you enjoyed it," she said, refilling glasses. "But you still have to help with the dishes."

 

Jim pouted, "But it's my  _birthday,"_ he whined. "Bones! Tell her it's my birthday!"

"She knows it's your birthday," he nodded, as Jim rested his head against his shoulder. "But it's  _her_ apartment, therefore, you have to follow her rules."

 

"Correction, it's  _my_ apartment," Chris held up his hand, bouncing Charlotte on his knee.

Melanie rolled her eyes, "It's  _our_ apartment," she corrected him, ignoring the snort that came from her husband. "Though I tell everyone it's mine, because there's no way in hell that you'd be the one with the creative eye that decorated this."

"Do you always hit below the belt?" Jim asked, frowning. "I think that's a McCoy trait, because Bones does the same thing to me."

"That's because half the shit that comes out of your mouth is questionable," Leonard shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder what's in that head of yours."

Melanie caught the flash of hurt in Jim's eyes, which was quickly erased as Joanna came back out after changing into her pajamas. "There you are!" Jim smiled, as she climbed up onto his lap. "For a moment there I thought the pajama monster came out and took you away!"

Joanna giggled, "When are we having cake?" she asked, as Jim kissed her cheek.

"In a little while," Chris said, wiping the drool off Charlotte's chin with a napkin. "Gotta let dinner settle first before eating anything else."

"How about you and Charlie watch a movie?" Melanie suggested. "Let your Daddy and Uncle Chris have a manly chat, while Jim and I talk about boys."

Chris whistled, "Uh ohhh," he shook his head. "I think we're about to be replaced, Len!"

Joanna giggled and shook her head, "Nuh Uhhh!" she said. "Aunt Mellie and Daddy can replace you both! Besides, you're Charlie's Daddy!"

"And what would happen if Bones replaced me?" Jim asked, as Joanna looked up at him.

"I wouldn't be able to get away with murder," she said, smiling innocently at him.

Jim snorted, "That's my girl!" he kissed her forehead, before moving her off his lap. "Go pick out a movie and get settled. Aunt Mellie and I will bring Charlotte to you in a bit."

While Chris went to put the movie on for Joanna, Melanie and Leonard cleared off the table as Jim filled up two wineglasses for himself and Melanie.

"Ready?" she asked, taking the glass from him. "We're going MIA for a while."

Chris nodded as he wiped down the table with a sponge, "Don't get too crazy," he warned, as she came over for a kiss.

"Can't promise you that," she said, squealing as the smack he gave her across the ass. "CHRISTOPHER!"

He shrugged, "Sorry," he went back to cleaning off the table. "Couldn't help myself."

Jim sighed, "If you two are done eyefucking one another, can we please go and talk about our partners behind their backs?" he asked.

Melanie shot Chris a warning look, "Let's go, Jim!' she said, starting for the hall. "I have  _loads_ of shit to tell you about a certain frisky chef."

 

......................

"So…" Chris settled back in chair. "Any surprises we should know about?"

Leonard frowned, "What are you talkin' about? Surprises?"

Chris nodded, "You know," he nodded, as Leonard frowned deepened. "Oh for god's sake! Are you going to ask Jim to marry you?"

"Did my sister put you up to this?" Leonard snapped, rolling his eyes. "No, I'm not proposing to Jim!"

"First off, your sister didn't put me up to this," Chris shook his head. "I was just simply asking because I figured that since you guys have been together for almost three years, that maybe you two were going to make it official."

Leonard set his glass down on the table, "Well, we ain't ready yet for that."

Chris nodded, "That's all you needed to say, Len," he shook his head. "Jesus."

"Are you and Mel plannin' on havin' another baby?" Leonard asked. "What? You got to ask me if I was proposin' to Jim!"

"I've brought it up to her several times," Chris shrugged.

Leonard sighed, "And? Hell Chris, don't say shit like that and not continue!" he exclaimed.

"She keeps saying it's too early to go again,' he said. "I think she's still freaked out after giving birth on our doorstep, but she claims that she's over it."

"Well, Charlie is still pretty young," Leonard shrugged. "You two have your hands tied between work and taking care of her."

Chris nodded, "I know," he said. "But I'm not getting any younger, Len. I'd like to have one or two more before I hit fifty-five, that way I'll be around to see them all get married hopefully."

"You could always cry and beg," Leonard shrugged. "Please Mel! Let me knock you up again!" he wiped away fake tears. "Or you could always replace the Advil with anti-biotics, that way they interfere with her birth control."

The older man stared at him for a moment, stunned by his advice. "You.." he shook his head. "Oh my god, how are you  _not_ locked up in a psychiatric center?"

"Still waitin' for my room to be finished," Leonard said, grinning. "Paying all those goddamn taxes, I expect only the best."

.....................

Melanie shifted on the bed and sighed, "Okay.. spill," she pulled the pillow down under her head. "Something's up and I want to know what it is."

"What makes you say that?" Jim asked, sitting on the other side of the bed. "And what if I don't want to tell you?"

"Jim, you tell me almost everything," she snorted. "Just like I tell you almost everything. We're like two old biddies."

He sighed, "It's Bones," he laid back against the pillows. "Hell, it's always about Bones."

 

Melanie nodded, "I figured," she shook her head. "What did my idiot brother do now?"

"I think he's going to break up with me when we get back to Seattle," Jim said, looking up at the ceiling.

"What?" she gasped, lifting her head up to look at him. "Wait.. why would Len break up with you, after surprising you with this trip?"

"To soften the blow?" Jim shrugged. "Look, it's beyond my belief or anyone's that we've managed to stay together for almost three years."

Melanie sat up, "So? Just because you survived three years together, doesn't mean you have to break up? What the fuck is going on Jim?"

He sighed; "I just feel like Bones is holding back on his feelings!" he shrugged. "He's so cautious about PDA or holding my fucking hand when we go out. Do you realize how hard it was, trying to get him to hold my hand today? Or to even get a simple "I love you," out of him?"

"Jim, you do realize that you're his first major relationship since Jocelyn, right?" she asked. "And you're probably and only guy he's actually dated, rather than having random sex with. My brother is pretty slow at some things."

"It's not only the lack of affection in public," Jim admitted. "Sometimes he can be so nice and romantic with surprises. Like this surprise trip and things we do when Joanna spends the night with Scotty and Gaila or at a friends house."

Melanie nodded, "But?"

"But it's a rare occurrence," Jim said, looking up at her. "Most of the time, he's this mean bastard who's never happy. And I try so hard to make him happy, Mel. I really try my best to be good for him and to stay out of trouble, but it's like no matter what I do… it doesn't change anything."

She rolled onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows. "Have you talked to him about this?" she asked. "I mean, really sit down and tell him everything that you're feeling?"

Jim shrugged, "No," he shook his head. "It's just easier to keep my mouth shut, that way we can get through the day without upsetting Jo."

"That's not good, Jim," Melanie shook her head. "You need to tell him how you feel. Don't be like one of those people, who lets their partner belittle them and makes them feel like shit."

"Do you think he even loves me?" Jim asked. "I mean in the way that Chris loves you?"

"Len loves you, Jim," she nodded. "I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but you also have to understand that he's been hurt real bad in the past. He still carries the scars that Joss left him and it's hard for him to let it go and to let people in."

Jim nodded, "Do you and Chris fight real bad? You know, screaming matches and shit?"

She sighed, "We fight," she nodded. "But it's normal to fight with your husband or boyfriend, Jim. No one's relationship is picture perfect, hon. We all have our flaws."

"I can't imagine you two screaming at each other," Jim said, as he lay back on the bed. "You're like.. Barbie and Ken. Minus the big tits and washboard abs."

"We scream at each other," Melanie laughed. "Sometimes we fight about the stupidest shit and then an hour or two later, we laugh about it. And since Charlie was born, our fights are more centered around things that need to be done around the house or who needs to watch the baby while the other one works or naps."

He looked at her, "But you never belittle each other, right?" he asked. "You never make Chris feel like he's worthless or unimportant?"

Melanie shook her head, "No," she said softly. "I mean sometimes we call each other the foulest names, which would make any old lady drop from a heart attack. But we don't take it that far."

She then frowned, "Jim, does my brother make you feel like you're unimportant?" she asked.

"Sometimes."

"Oh Jimmy," she shook her head, reaching out to take his hand into hers. "You know you're important to him!"

Jim let out a shaky sigh as tears filled his eyes, "I'm just so tired of fighting with him all the time," he shook his head. "I want what you and Chris have, you know? I think we both deserve that."

Melanie scooted over and pulled Jim closer, so that his head rested on her shoulder. "You can have that, Jim," she said. "But you need to talk to him and tell him everything that you've told me."

"Then he'll blame me for ruining our trip," he mumbled. "Because it'll start a big fight and everyone will be miserable."

"It wont," she urged. "If you want, I'll go out there and tell him that you need to talk and that if he starts his bitching, he can go to a hotel."

He sighed, "Jimmy, I know you've had a rough past with people leaving you," she said. "But Len's not one of those people. And if he was, I'd kill him in a heartbeat."

"God, why didn't I fall in love with you?" he asked, hugging her tightly. "You're the nicer one out of the bunch."

She snorted; "Because I don't have a dick?" she shrugged, earning a chuckle from him. "Besides, I like my men older with grey hair. You're cute, Jimmy. But you're not my type."

"Chris says you hog all the blankets anyway," Jim sighed. "I don't like that quality in my bedmates."

"Chris is a goddamn liar," Melanie shook her head.

Jim sighed, "A very sexy liar though," he shrugged. "I hope I look just as good as he does when I'm fifty."

"Oh god, please don't give him any ammo that will increase his ego," she whined. "He's been walking around like he's hot shit, because Charlie's first word was "Pa!" and how she's earned the title of "Daddy's girl."

He shrugged, "Guess you gotta bribe her," he mumbled. "So I should talk to Bones?"

Melanie nodded, "You definitely need to talk to him, Jim. Especially if you want to get married one day and have a family with him."

"If we break up, can I live here?" he asked.

She laughed, "You'll have to ask, Chris. It's  _his_ apartment, according to him," she sighed. "But I'd let you live here."

"You're a good sister," Jim mumbled.

"I try to be," she sighed, watching as Jim slowly closed his eyes. "And boy do I try."


	9. Chapter 9

"What happened with Len and Jim?" Chris asked, after he put Charlotte down for bed. "You looked so mad when you came into the kitchen."

Melanie set her earrings down on the jewelry dish and sighed, "Jim's been feeling kinda down with how Len treats him," she said. "He thinks that Len's going to break up with him once they get back to Seattle."

"That's crazy," Chris shook his head. "Why the hell would your brother surprise him with this trip, only to break up with him?"

"I don't know," she shook her head, setting her engagement ring into the jewelry box. "But I told my idiot of a brother, that if he didn't reassure Jim that everything was okay between them, that I would slaughter him in the middle of Times Square."

Chris pulled the blankets back on the bed and sighed, "Why are you so violent?" he asked, as they climbed into bed. "I don't understand it."

Melanie pulled the blankets up as she settled back against the pillows, "It's natural," she shrugged, setting her head down on the pillow. "And when it comes to Jim, I feel very… protective over him because of his past."

Knowing very little about the man dating his brother-in-law, Chris only knew the basics about Jim's childhood and early teen years. No father and a mother who abandoned him with an abusive stepfather, as she roamed the world with her work as researcher.

"Can I at least get a shot at inflicting bodily harm if he breaks Jim's heart?" Chris asked, as he turned the lights off.

"Of course," Melanie nodded, as they fell into an exhausted state of silence that came after wrestling a toddler down for bed, while Joanna whined about sleeping on the sofa again.

"Chris?"

He rolled over onto his side, "Yeah?" he whispered, as Melanie blinked at him in the darkness of their bedroom.

"You wouldn't break up with me if I became psychotic bitch, would you?" she asked.

Chris thought about the question for a moment, "Depends on if we're talking about acts of violence here," he said, making her groan. "Mel, you know I'm not leaving you ever."

"So if Ryan Gosling came by and offered to impregnant me with the future golden child of Hollywood and I said yes, you wouldn't be mad?"

"Who the hell is Ryan Gosling and why are you thinking about having  _his_ baby?" Chris asked, sitting up. "Mel, are these questions coming from the talk you had with Jim?"

She shrugged, "It just got me thinking, is all," she mumbled. "Len and I are just about the same when it comes to our tempers, though he's a _real_ bastard when the anger breaks through."

Chris sighed, "Mel…" he started.

"And it's not just about that.. the anger issues that I'll probably develop once I reach my brothers age," she sighed. "I'm getting  _old,_ Chris."

He snorted, "And I'm not?" he asked, yelping as she pinched him.

"I'm being serious here!" she hissed. "We both know that things haven't bounced back since Charlotte was born and I'm not the same hot chick you met back when I was twenty- seven."

Chris shifted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, "If you're really questioning my attraction towards you, then you really need to get your head checked out."

Melanie groaned, "Mel, I love you. I love you no matter what happens to the way your body changes as time goes on," he said. "I didn't marry you just for your looks, you know."

"But will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?" she whispered, resting her head against his chest.

 

"I'll still love you if you gained eighty pounds and wore sweat suits from Wal-Mart," he kissed the top of her head. "Stop worrying about this stuff, Mel. It's going to drive you crazy and then I'll have to lock you up in the loony bin."

She giggled as he tickled her lightly, before dropping a kiss onto her forehead. "Let's get some sleep," he suggested. "If you still feel like you're unsure about all of this, then we can talk about it some more tomorrow. Or when it's just us."

Melanie nodded, "Okay," she yawned.

Pulling the blanket up a bit higher, they both shifted around before finding a comfortable position while keeping themselves wrapped up around each other. Sleep came easy after that, as they both succumbed to their exhaustion from the eventful day.

…...........

Waking up late the next morning, they were greeted to the sounds of playful chatter and Charlotte babbling as Jim and Leonard played with her.

"Come on," Leonard smiled, holding his arms out as he sat on the floor in the living room. "You know you want to come over to Uncle Len!"

"Nuhh Uhhh," Jim shook his head. "Come on, Charlie! Come to Uncle Jim."

Chris stood in the entryway of the living room and watched the scene before him, before breaking the silence. "What the hell are you two doing?" he asked, as both men turned to look at him.

Charlotte squealed and pointed at him, "Pa!" she started towards him on wobbly legs, to which Jim quickly crawled after her.

"Easy! Easy!" Jim cried, as she moved forward. "Dammit- Chris! Can you like meet her half way?!"

Chuckling, he stepped forward and quickly scooped the toddler up into his arms and smothered her face with kisses. "Good morning, sweetheart!" he cooed, as she giggled. "Are we being a good girl?"

"Good as in leaving the most foulest diaper for us to change?" Jim scowled, as Charlotte patted her father's face with her tiny hands. "No one will ever break into your apartment because they'll be gassed out by her shitty diapers."

Joanna snorted from behind the IPad, as she lounged on the couch. "Thanks, Jim," Chris rolled his eyes. "So, I take it your talk went well last night?"

Leonard blushed as Jim grinned, "Oh.. it went  _perfectly_ well."

"I don't want to know the details," Chris shook his head, as he started towards the kitchen. "You can gossip about it with my wife."

"Awww, but don't you want to know the things Bones here whispered into my ear?" Jim asked, grinning. "It was very colorf-"

Leonard wrapped his hand around Jim's mouth, "Say anymore and I'll put Charlie's diaper in your bag."

Chris snorted, "Come on, Charlie," he kissed her cheek. "Let's go see what Mommy's doing in the kitchen."

…........

The rest of the week went by quickly, much to Melanie's displeasure, as she tried to enjoy the final days of Jim and Leonard's visit. After dropping them off at the airport Sunday afternoon, after around of hugs and kisses, they returned to a quieter apartment, a pile of laundry and a bare refrigerator.

"Wanna run down to the store?" Chris asked, as Melanie set Charlotte down into the playpen. "We're out of nearly everything."

 

Melanie shrugged, "If you want," she said, as Charlotte crawled around in the pen. "Do you want to bring the stroller?"

Chris shook his head, "I'll carry her down and we'll put her in the cart," he said. "Give me a few minutes to write up a list and then we can go."

Once the list was written out and their coats were zipped up, they took the fifteen minute walk down to the local market which was bursting with customers. Melanie grabbed a shopping cart and pulled it towards Chris and Charlotte, before setting the reusable tote bags and her purse down in the wagon.

"This should be fun," she grumbled, as Chris strapped Charlotte into the seat of the cart. " If anyone runs over my feet today, they're getting smashed with a can."

"Easy there," Chris warned, as they started into the store. "Not in front of the baby."

Charlotte looked around at her surroundings, her eyes wide and mouth parted, as she pointed to various objects. "Oh! Oh!" she grunted, kicking her feet out.

"Those are grapes, Charlie," Chris said, as Melanie went to search for produce items. "You don't like grapes."

Pushing the cart to follow Melanie, Chris kept his eyes on Charlotte while nodding to the items that Melanie held up. Soon, the wagon was filled with bags of fresh fruits and vegetables and cartons of berries.

" 'Nanas!" Charlotte screeched, pointing to the display of bananas. "'Nanas! 'Nanas!"

"You, my sweet baby, are becoming a banana queen," Chris chuckled as he checked for a bunch that wasn't fully ripened. "How about we get two bunches today?"

Charlotte wiggled in the seat, "Pa, Pa!"

"Are we looking at bananas?" Melanie asked, coming up with a bag of lettuce in on hand and a package of carrot sticks in the other. "I think we should invest in banana stocks."

"I'll buy her a banana tree," Chris laughed, as he set the bananas into the wagon. "Here we go," he set one bunch next to Charlotte. "Try not to eat them all at once."

Melanie shook her head, "Okay, what else is on your list?" she asked, taking the paper from the wagon. "Hmmmm food for us, food for the baby and food for the cats."

Chris shrugged, "Same list as all the other times," he said. "I forgot to check how much formula we had left."

"I'll get that in the other store," she shook her head. "This place overcharges for a small canister."

"Mamaaaaaa!" Charlotte grunted.

Melanie reached out and brushed a stray curl away from her eyes, "What's the matter?" she cooed, as Charlotte babbled. "Are you hungry? Mommy will get you your baby cookies and we'll have one."

"My, my," Chris shook his head, as they started out of the produce department. "This kid is spoiled."

"Says the man who's buying her  _two_ bunches of bananas," she shot back, as Charlotte giggled.

….............

A half an hour later, Chris and Melanie waited on line to pay for their groceries, fighting through the crowds of the busy Sunday afternoon.

"Charlie, stop touching everything," Melanie said, as the toddler grabbed at the box of pasta on the belt. "Charlotte Anne!"

Chris gently removed Charlotte's hand from the box and leaned forward to kiss her fingers. "You can't eat the pasta like that," he said, as Charlotte began to whimper. "Here, have another cookie."

She looked at the cookie in his hand as her face crumpled up and tears started to well in her eyes, "No Charlie, don't cry."

Melanie handed her keys over to the cashier, who scanned their store card, and took them back with a smile. "Here we go baby," she jingled the keys. "Hold Mommy's keys."

Immediately, Charlotte went from potential melt down to pure joy, taking hold of the keys. Then she proceeded to bang them against the handlebar of the shopping cart, earning a few disgruntled looks from other shoppers.

"Keep doing it, Charlie," Chris whispered, taking pleasure that his daughter was annoying the others. "You're going to be a good musician when you're older."

As the bagger bagged the food, Melanie took the bags and set them into the wagon, before swiping her credit card. "Charlie, you need to get a job," she whistled, eyeing the screen.

The cashier, an older woman, smiled at Charlotte. "Hi sweetheart," she waved to her. "She's absolutely adorable," she said to Melanie. "Those curls!"

Melanie smiled, "Thank you," she said, signing the credit slip. "Not sure which side of the family she got those from, but she is a hundred percent like my husband."

"That's not true," Chris snorted, as Charlotte reached up for him. "Right? You tell her that's not true."

"Uhhhh! Pa!" she cried, kicking her feet out.

Pulling her hat out of his coat pocket, Chris pulled it over the unruly curls and started pushing the cart. "Let's get you home," he said, as Melanie started towards the exit.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Winter turned into Spring, as the months flew by, bringing the fast-pace of teaching and motherhood along with it. As the semester began to wind down, with Spring Break just around the corner, Melanie was counting down the days to have the entire week off.

"I just want to sit on my ass all day and play with Charlotte," she whined to Rosette. "Chris took off from work the whole week, just so we can spend time together."

"You two are so cute, it makes me want to die," Rosette smirked. "Thinkin' about using that week to make another baby?"

Melanie snorted, "I just lost the last five pounds from thirty that I gained," she shook her head. "No babies for a while."

Rosette pouted as she stirred creamer in her coffee, "I guess I'll have to have one then," she shook her head.

"Y-Oh my god! Did Rick say yes to having a baby?" Melanie gasped.

"He said we could try it," Rosette corrected her, but smiling widely. "So I stopped taking my pills on Sunday and we're going to see what happens."

Melanie laughed, "Oh my god! That's amazing!" she squealed, hugging her co-worker. "Just don't panic if nothing happens for the first few months! The best part about getting pregnant is all the sex you get to have."

"Oh I know," Rosette snorted, as they started towards the elevator bank. "Rick is too excited about that! I'm sure Chris will be the same way, when you finally have another one."

"Chris is like that all the time," Melanie shook her head, as they stepped into the elevator car. "I could just give him the look and he'll have Charlotte in her crib and the lights down low in the bedroom before I can even take my pants off."

.................

"Okay! Okay!" Melanie shouted over the commotion. "Guys! Hello!"

The chatter began to die down, as the students turned their attention to Melanie. "Ahh, lovely!" she smiled at them. "I know your vacation is just around the corner! But I am handing out the assignment for your final papers today!"

A collective groan filled the room as Lucy stood up with a stack of papers. "Really Professor?" one student groaned.

"Sadly yes," Melanie nodded. "But once you actually read the assignment, you'll realize how easy this project is and you'll be praising my generosity and actually give me some nice reviews on Rate My Professor."

Once the papers were handed out, Melanie stood at the bottom of the steps and watched as her students read. "Well?" she finally spoke out, as a few students looked up at her. "Pretty easy, huh?"

"So like.. we can write about any shipwreck we've studied and do whatever we want?" a student in the front row asked.

Melanie nodded, "This is a creative project guys," she staretd moving around the front of the room. "Using the shipwrecks we've studied so far and will study once we return from the break, I want you to decide what you want to write about. If you're not history majors, you can try to connect a shipwreck to your major."

A few students frowned, "Take Women's Studies for instance! Coralynn, I know that's your minor! You could do a paper or a powerpoint on the "women and children" protocol that was in place for Titanic!"

Coralynn nodded with a smile, grabbing her pen to write down some ideas in her notebook. "You guys can do a project on how engineering has changed from the early 1900's to now or write the psychological effects that the survivors experienced. Anything you want!"

"This is fucking brilliant!" one kid from the back yelled out. "Yo, you're totally getting a happy face thing on that website, Miss!"

Melanie snorted, "Thank you!" she nodded. "Now you have all spring break to really think of an idea! I want you all to email me your ideas that way I can make sure you're going to stay on track. If you have questions, ask! I don't know if it's a type of phobia that you guys have about coming to the professor for help, but I really would LOVE to have my inbox filled with questions from you guys."

A few students nodded, "So, I want you guys to go home today and start brainstorming! Use the books and the pdf's! Just because the school will be closed for the week, doesn't mean the public library will! Go and explore! I will see you all after break and please, try not to get yourselves killed!"

................

Chris watched as Melanie set the pile of dirty laundry into the basket, before plopping down on the bed. "I take it your day went well."

"I am free!" she squealed, rolling around on the bed. "Free from early morning alarm clocks and sitting in my office! FREE! FREE! FREE!"

He snorted, "Oh god, are you going to be like this all week?" he asked, as she laid out across the bed.

"So what?" she scoffed. "I can finally have the freedom to sleep in, play with my kid and have sex with my husband at whatever time I want."

"Ohh, so now we can have sex at whatever time  _you_ want?" he asked, smirking.

Melanie looked up at him, "Wanna do it now?" she asked. "Charlie's asleep and I don't have anything to do at the moment."

Chris frowned and looked down at his watch, "Oh look at that!" he said, smiling. "I'm free too!"

"So how should we do this?" Melanie asked, as he moved over her. "Should we be quiet as possible or move it into the shower?"

"How about I put you face down and have my way with you?" he suggested, moving his hands up her shirt. "You make too much noise and we don't want the baby to wake up."

She pouted, "You don't want to look at this beautiful face?" she asked, arching up towards him.

Straddling her thighs, Chris sat up and looked down at her. "I do," he nodded. "But I don't want Charlotte waking up halfway through it, because you can't control your yowling."

"I don't yowl!" she gasped, as he leaned forward to kiss her neck.

"Oh you yowl," he smirked against her flushed skin. "And you grunt like a man sometimes, too."

Melanie tried to knee him, only to hit his hip instead. "Here I am offering sex and you're making fun of me," she whined. "If you don't start getting to work, I'll lock myself in the bathroom and do it myself."

"Oh no you wont!" he pinned her down by the shoulders. "I'm going to take my time, working you up and when you're so close to the edge I'll back off and do it again and again."

"And I'll fucking push you off this bed and make you sleep in the guest room," she groaned, as his lips moved down to her belly. "Chrisssss… stop teasing!"

He snorted, "Patience," he ordered. "Charlotte will be out for a while, so we have plenty of time."

.....................

"Okay Charlie," Melanie said, as she set the strolled down on the sidewalk. "Today's the first sunny day without snow on the ground!"

Setting the toddler into the stroller, Melanie buckled her in and fixed the tiny jacket that she wore. "We're going to get Daddy an anniversary AND birthday present!"

Pushing the stroller away from the front steps of the apartment building, Melanie placed her cellphone in the cut holder near the handle bar and pushed the top down to block the sun out of Charlotte's eyes.

Taking the short walk to the local bookshop, Melanie was relieved to find it partially vacant on the early Friday morning.

"What should we get Daddy?" she asked Charlotte, pushing the stroller towards the new releases section. "Daddy doesn't like romance books," she muttered, eyeing the newest fixation of Sub/Dom role-playing that women her age were drooling over.

After an hour and a half of browsing, Melanie ended up picking out a few picture books and a new book on Microbial Ecology of the ocean.

"Oh Charlie," she sighed, setting the books down on the counter. "Shopping for Daddy is harder than I thought."

Once the books were paid for and packed up, Melanie thanked the shop owner and pushed the stroller out onto the sidewalk. Moving out of the way, Melanie shoved the bag into the basket of the stroller and quickly checked on Charlotte before getting up to grab her phone. Dialing the familiar number, Melanie set the phone against her ear and pushed the stroller with one hand, waiting for the caller to pick up.

"Helllllooooooo?"

"Jim? It's Mel," she said, waiting at the corner for the light to change.

"Mellie!" Jim cried. "How lovely of you to call me!"

She snorted, "Look, I need some advice!"

"Advice?" Jim gasped. "From Moi?!"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Yes! I'm out with Charlotte and we're trying to find an anniversary/birthday present for Chris," she said, while crossing the street. "The only thing is, we're at a loss of what to get him!"

"Ummm, sex?" Jim stated. "I mean really Mel, the man probably wants you to dress up in some slutty lingerie set, cover you up in body oil and fuck you til you can't even recite your address."

"So is giving Chris a diaper filled with shit from Charlie the equivalence of that?" she asked, ignoring the dirty look that a group of elderly women gave her. "Jim! I'm serious here! Christmas was easy because we picked out our present together and bought it before the holiday!"

Jim snorted, "Yes, because a new television is totally what you wanted," he said.

"I did want it!" she gasped. "Seriously! Watching all my documentaries and boxed sets of Gilmore Girls on that thing is AMAZING!"

"Who's on the phone?"

Jim chuckled, "Your sister is having a hard time buying something for the hubby," he said, before turning his attention back to Mel. "Why not ask him what he wants?"

Melanie scoffed, "He already told me not to get him anything!" she mumbled. "He's such a pain in the ass!"

"Mel?"

"Lennyy!" she cried. "Oh thank god! Please! Tell me what I should buy Chris as an anniversary/birthday present!"

Her brother sighed, "I think you should just get him a card and have a nice quiet night alone with him," he suggested. "Give Charlie over to Rich and Alice for the night!"

"But that's so boring!" she whined. "Come on!"

"Why not cook a meal for him!" Jim suggested. "You could send him out with Richard for the day, hand Charlie over to Alice and cook!"

Leonard snorted, "She can't cook!" he exclaimed. "Last time she attempted to make dinner, the poor man had food poisoning for a week!"

"You're an asshole," she snapped into the phone. "Neither of you are any help! I don't even know why I called!"

Before either could answer, Melanie hung up and tossed the phone back into the cup holder and sighed. "Dammit," she cursed, running her fingers through her hair. "Dammit!"

 


	11. Chapter 11

On the eve of their anniversary, Melanie made plans for Alice to come by early in the morning to collect Charlotte for the entire day.

"I'll put enough diapers and formula in her bag so that you don't have to go out!" Melanie said, as she moved back and forth from the closet. "God, I can't even remember what else I should pack! It's been a while since we took Charlotte anywhere far from home."

Alice laughed on the other end of the phone, "We have plenty of stuff here from the last time Charlie spent the night with us," she said. "I'll get a few jars of baby food when I do the shopping later."

"Don't forget bananas! Charlie always has a banana for breakfast and one after dinner," Melanie shoved a pair of pajamas into the bag.

"Bananas," Alice mumbled, scribbling on a notepad. "Okay! Bananas and baby food! I'll call you later tonight to get he final rundown for tomorrow morning."

Melanie sighed, "Sounds good!" she said, as the front door opened. "Uh oh, they're back from the park."

Alice giggled, "I'll call you later!" she promised. "Make sure you tell him tonight though!"

"I will! Talk to you soon!" Melanie rushed into the phone, before hanging up.

Tucking the small duffle bag under the changing table, Melanie made her way out of the room and down the hall. "There you are!" she beamed, as Chris set the stroller against the wall. "How was the park?"

Charlotte babbled, "We had a great time," Chris said, accepting a kiss from Melanie. "We watched the ducks in the pond and sat under a tree for a while."

"You got a little color," she noted with a smile. "And you Miss Charlotte, you look like you had a good time with your food."

"We stopped for ice cream before taking a breather under the tree," he smiled sheepishly. "Not only does she like bananas, but she also loves chocolate banana ice cream."

"Mamammama!" Charlotte squealed, holding her hands out for her.

Melanie took her into her arms and kissed her ice cream stained cheek, "I guess it's bath time for you," she sighed, as the toddler pulled at her shirt. "Then a nap, so Mommy can talk to Daddy."

"Uh oh," Chris sighed. "What did you do now?"

"I did nothing," she shook her head. "But I have something to discuss with you, which will require your full attention and no distractions from the princess."

Chris looked uncertain of her answer, as she unbuckled Charlotte's sandals. "I don't believe you," he finally said, taking the shoes from her. "What did you buy this time? Last time you waited until I got the credit card bill to see the four hundred dollar work bag you just  _had_  to have."

Melanie scowled, "That was the sale price!" she exclaimed. "And I'm using it, aren't I?"

Before Chris could respond, Charlotte began to whimper which brought tears as she began to cry.

"Okay, okay," Melanie whispered, bouncing her lightly in her arms. "Let's go give you a bath and put you down for a nap."

She started down the hall before glancing back at Chris, "Don't get too comfortable," she warned. "I still have to talk to you."

.............

"I can't believe you actually did a crash course in cooking from Richard," Chris shook his head, as Melanie collected the plates. "And here I thought you were going out for coffee with your co-workers."

She smiled, "I wanted to make it perfect," she sighed. "I didn't want a repeat of last time and ruin our anniversary with you being sick."

He chuckled, "Well my dear, you've outdone yourself."

"Well it was either this and sex or buying some ridiculous present," Melanie shrugged.

"This was better," he nodded, as she grabbed the bottle of wine off the counter. "And I still can't believe you got Rich and Alice to take Charlotte for the entire day."

Pouring out the wine in both their glasses, Melanie eased her way onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Our anniversary, as much as I love our daughter, is about us. One whole day to celebrate us and surviving another year of being married, to which I want you all to myself."

"Two years," he shook his head. "How the hell did we manage that?"

"I like to think it's because I'm so witty and charming," she beamed, earning a snort from him. "And that I'm a fantastic sex partner because all the other people you may've slept with before meeting me were just  _awful!"_

Chris sighed, "But seriously," he smiled. "Two years. They went really fast."

"Too fast if you ask me," Melanie sighed. "Though sometimes it feels like we've been married for ten years."

"For ten years we'll have to do something big," Chris said, before leaning in to kiss her. "Maybe I'll take you away for a few days and leave the kids with Len and Jim."

Melanie smiled, "Where would you take me?" she asked, shifting gently on his lap. "It has to be a good place to go to for ten years of marriage."

"Guess you'll have to wait and see," he grinned. "Now, I have a present for you."

"You do?" she asked, as his hands moved up her newly flat belly. "God I hope it's not skimpy underwear!"

He snorted, "No it's not," he shook his head. "You really think I'd go and buy you skimpy underwear for our anniversary?"

Melanie sighed, "Chris, we both know what happens when you put skimpy underthings on me," she shook her head. "How do you think I got pregnant in the first place? Besides all the alcohol we consumed?"

"If I remember correctly," Chris started, as he sat up in the chair. "You stopped taking your birth control because it made you sick. The alcohol just added to the heat of the moment."

Standing up, Melanie watched as Chris moved across the kitchen to the drawers near the counter with their toaster and microwave. "Now, I had this hidden in here for the last two weeks," he said, pulling out a tiny wrapped up box. "I'm pretty surprised that you didn't find it."

"That's the junk drawer," she shrugged. "Why would I need to go in there, when most of that shit is yours?"

Chris rolled his eyes and started back towards her, "Like I was saying, I had this in the drawer for the last two weeks and I think it's about time you finally opened it."

Melanie looked at the box in his hand, then back up at him. "Usually this is when you take the box and unwrap it," Chris said. "Then you tell me how amazing I am and how I shouldn't have bought it for you and blah, blah, blah."

She giggled and took the box from him, "You keep talking like that and you wont get your other surprise," she shook her head.

"If we're talking about sex, I already know we're having it because it's mandatory to have sex on your anniversary," he said, looking smug.

Rolling her eyes Melanie leaned against the table and slowly pulled away the wrapping paper to reveal a flat, square shaped box. "Now, Charlie was aiming towards something really flashy and I had to tell her that flashy wasn't your style."

Opening the box, Melanie let out a gasp as she reached up to cover her mouth. "Christopher!" she exclaimed, shaking her head.

"Do you like it?" he asked, watching as she took the necklace out of the box.

"It's so pretty," she gasped, holding the necklace up. "You didn't have to buy something so pretty for me."

He chuckled, "You're my wife," he said, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Therefore I want to buy you pretty things."

Melanie shook her head, "You want to try it on?" he asked.

Handing over the necklace, Chris unclasped the chain and gently laid it against her throat, before hooking it closed. He then turned her around slowly and fixed the heart shaped pendent, encrusted with tiny pink diamonds, and smiled. "Looks good on you," he nodded.

"I can only imagine what Charlie wanted to pick out," she giggled. "How did you ever get her to change her mind?"

Chris sighed as she wrapped both arms around him, "Well, I promised to buy her  _three_ bunches of bananas the next time we go shopping."

"Three!" she cried, throwing her head back. "Our baby is going to turn into a banana at this rate."

"Then she'll become the new face of banana's and her college tuition will be paid in full by the time she's seventeen," he shrugged. "Win-win on both sides."

Melanie giggled and shook her head, "Well, how about we have a win-win situation here and move on to the next activity for the evening?"

..................

"My god! Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes!" was the first thing Richard said, as the couple stood outside their apartment door. "I take it you guys had a good night?"

Melanie yawned widely in response, "Please tell me you have coffee," Chris mumbled, as Richard stepped out of the way to let them in.

"Coffee is brewing," Richard nodded.

"Where's Charlie?" Melanie asked, running her fingers through her hair. "It's awfully quiet in here and usually she's up making a racket at this hour."

Alice made her way down the hall and smiled at them, "Good morning!" she beamed, taking note of their appearances. "I guess you two had fun last night, huh?"

"Too much fun," Chris nodded, as he took a seat at the kitchen table. "I think our ages are finally catching up to us."

"Hmmm, welcome to our world," Alice sighed. "McKayla's with Charlie getting her dressed."

Melanie gasped, "I thought McKayla was in Italy for school?" she asked. "What is she doing home?"

Richard sighed, "She got hurt while hiking out in the countryside," he said, pouring out the coffee into the glasses. "She has to have surgery on her knee next week and decided to come home to have the procedure."

"Oh man," Chris shook his head, as the bedroom door down the hall opened. "That's too bad. What is she going to do now for the semester?"

Melanie turned and watched as McKayla hobbled down the hallway with Charlotte in her arms. "Your Mommy and Daddy sure have their work cut out for them," she told the little girl.

"Charlie girl!" Melanie cooed, as the toddler turned her head to look at her. "Is that my Charlie girl?"

"Mamammaa!" Charlotte immediately began to screech, wiggling in McKayla's arms.

Standing up from the table, Melanie met the young girl halfway and took Charlotte into her arms. "Hello baby girl!" she cooed, kissing her cheeks. "Did you have fun with Aunt Alice and Uncle Richard? Where you good for them and for McKayla?"

Charlotte babbled as she reached up to cover Melanie's mouth with her hand. "Wanna see Daddy?" Melanie asked, lightly pulling her hand away. "Where's Daddy?"

"Pa! Pa!"

"Uh ohhh," Melanie gasped, as she started towards the kitchen table. "Is Daddy over… here?" she turned so that Charlotte could look at the living room.

Charlotte began to whine, kicking her legs out as Melanie shifted her in her arms. "What about…. Over there?" she asked, turning her to face the front door.

"Pa!" Charlotte whined.

"No he's not there either," Melanie frowned, while Chris shook his head with amusement. "How about over…. Here! There he is! What's he doing over here?"

As soon as Charlotte spotted her father, she began to wiggle harder in Melanie's arms, reaching out for him. "Charlie girl!" Chris cried out in shock. "What happened to you! You've gotten bigger!"

Carefully shifting her from her arms to Chris's, Melanie went to help McKayla to the table, before taking her seat. "Did you have fun?" Chris asked, as Charlotte pulled at his shirt. "You look like you had fun."

"How was she?" Melanie asked, as a cup of coffee was placed in front of her.

"She ate most of her dinner," Alice said, as she took a seat across from Chris. "Then I gave her a bath and we both kept McKayla some company in her room and watched some cartoons."

McKayla nodded, "They left as soon as my pain pill kicked in," she sighed. "She's good company though."

Chris snorted as Alice continued, "Rich and I read her one of those picture books you packed up and then we put her down for bed. Slept throughout the night and woke up ten minutes before you two arrived. "

"Such a good baby," Chris said, kissing her cheek. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

"What do we want for breakfast, Charlie?" Melanie asked, as she stood up from the table. "Do we want 'nanas?"

Charlotte ignored her as she babbled to Chris, while wiggling on his lap. "Do you want your 'nanas?" he asked, smoothing her hair away from her eyes. "You feel a little warm."

Melanie frowned and made her way over to them, reaching out to place her hand on Charlie's forehead. "She does," she frowned, gently touching her cheeks. "I'll have to take her temperature when we get home."

Alice stood from her chair and started towards the counter, "I'll cut up a banana for her," she said. "If you guys are hungry we have plenty of food here. You're more than welcome to raid our fridge."

"Thanks Alice," Chris nodded. "But I think we'll feed her and then get out of your hair."

McKayla yawned and set her head down on the table, "And that one looks like she could use the extra few hours of sleep," he continued, nodding to the young woman.

At that moment, Charlotte chose to sneeze all over herself and Chris' hand. "Ugh," he grumbled, reaching for a napkin. "I think we should stop at the store and get some medicine for you. Mommy's gonna have to call the doctor for you."

"Oh joy," Melanie sighed. "This is going to be fun."


	12. Chapter 12

By the middle of the week, Charlotte went from being slightly sick to full blown sick, driving both of her parents to the end of their wits. Endless nights of sitting up with the toddler, while trying to enjoy the remainder of Melanie's time off from work were proving to be difficult.

"Just try to sleep, Charlie!" Melanie begged, as she moved back and forth down the hallway. "There's nothing else Mommy can do for you at this point."

Charlotte continued to wail against her shoulder, her hands bunched up into fists. Up for sixteen hours straight, Charlotte showed no sign of calling it quits to let her parents relax. The day after brining her home from the Barnett's apartment, Charlotte woke up with a runny nose and a bad cough, which caused Chris to panic. One trip to the pediatrician and Charlotte was diagnosed with a minor cold.

"Charlie, Charlie!" Melanie shifted the toddler in her arms. "Come on baby! You're going to make yourself sicker if you keep crying like this."

Just then, the front door opened and Melanie sighed in relief as Chris stepped into the apartment. "Did you find anything?" she asked, as he shut the door behind him.

"The pharmacist suggested a humidifier and Vicks," he sighed, setting the bags down on the couch. "Here, let me take her."

Carefully, Melanie switched Charlotte from her arms to his and moved to the bags on the couch. "Let's go take your temperature again," he said, moving her into the nursery. "Then we'll give you a warm bath and try for a nap."

.............

Two hours and one warm bath later, Charlotte was dozing off as she rested against Melanie's chest. Sitting in the rocking chair, she watched as Chris moved around the nursery moving things around to place the humidifier a bit closer to the crib.

"If she's not better by Monday, I'm taking her back to the doctor for another checkup," she whispered. "Preferably a different one because this guy was a total quack."

"Any doctor would probably tell us the same thing that guy did," he shook his head. "But this seems to be working, along with the Vicks and the hot bath."

Peering down at Charlie, Melanie gently rubbed her back, while rocking the chair back and forth. "As long as she sleeps for a few hours…" she sighed.

Once the humidifier was placed near the crib, Chris went to work on cleaning out the crib of it's toys and sheets, replacing them with new ones and elevating the mattress with a small pillow.

"Ready to put her down?" he asked, turning to his wife. "You can't take a nap in the chair with her, Mel."

Nodding, Melanie slowly stood up and walked over to the crib. "Here we go," she whispered, setting Charlotte down on the freshly laundered sheets. Once she was tucked in, Chris set her Mickey Mouse doll against the railing that faced the wall.

"I put the baby monitor on in here and I'll check the other one in the kitchen," he said, watching as Charlotte slept. "That way we can hear her when she wakes up."

Taking one last look into the crib, they quietly left the room and closed the door halfway.

"God, I'm so tired!" Melanie groaned, rubbing her hands across her face. "I feel like I haven't slept more than two hours since bringing her home the other day!"

"Why don't you go take a shower and lay down for a while?" Chris suggested. "I'll throw the bedding in the wash and see what we have for dinner."

Melanie sighed, "What about you?" she asked. "You haven't slept much either, Chris. You don't want to end up getting sick either."

"Mel, I'll be fine," he shook his head. "Just go take a shower and lay down in the bedroom. Put the television on if you don't want to sleep."

"Just put batteries in the extra monitor and come with me," she begged. "Fuck the laundry and dinner can wait until Charlie wakes up from her nap."

Chris groaned as Mel tugged on his hand, "I'm not kidding, Christopher," she shook her head. "Get the monitor and let's go! It's hard enough dealing with one sick baby! I cannot deal with two!"

"Okay! Okay!" he snapped, moving towards the bookcase near the wall. "Jesus Christ, Mel!"

"Don't even think about starting an argument!" she warned. "I've been up for sixteen hours straight, going out of my goddamn mind! I am this close,  _this_ close to screaming!"

Taking one look at her; the bedraggled clothes to the bags under her eyes, Chris immediately felt bad for snapping at her. Between the lack of sleep and the moments of panic, they were both run down and unprepared for Charlotte's first cold. Moving across the room, Chris took her by the hand and led her down the hall to their bedroom.

"Take a shower and get into bed," he ordered, setting the baby monitor down on the nightstand. "I'll fix up the bed."

Without questioning him, Melanie disappeared into the bathroom , leaving him to unravel the sheets and comforter that hung off the edge of the bed. When she stepped out ten minutes later, her hair damp and a towel wrapped around her, the bed was made as neat as possible.

"Is she still sleeping?" Melanie asked, making her way over to the dresser.

Chris nodded as she pulled on a pair of panties, "She's out cold," he said.

Once she was partially dressed for a nap, Melanie ran the towel through her hair again, before tossing it into the hamper before pulling it up into a high bun. Sinking under the blankets, Melanie settled her head down on the pillow, while Chris sat up on his side of the bed.

"I'll put the television on real low," he said, grabbing the remote off the nightstand. "That way one of us can hear her when she wakes up."

"Sounds good," she mumbled, as her eyes began to drift shut. "If I'm asleep when she wakes up then wake me."

Chris nodded and watched as she fell asleep, before settling down for a possible nap as well. Any rest that they could get, before Charlotte woke again for their undivided attention, would be needed greatly.

...............

By the weekend Charlotte was nearly back to her usual self, despite the runny nose and cough. Deciding to enjoy the last three days of Spring Break, Melanie managed to do some spring-cleaning while Charlotte napped and when Chris went to the store to pick up groceries. The idea of going back to work filled her with dread, even though the semester had six weeks left before letting out for the summer. Having the week off spoiled her, even though the last half was a bust and left her exhausted and moody.

"Okay Charlie," Melanie sighed, as she scooped the toddler out of the playpen. "Let's go lay down for a while on the sofa and wait for Daddy to come home from the store."

Just as she made her way to the sofa, her cell phone began to ring from its spot on the table. With a sigh, Melanie took a quick detour to the kitchen and grabbed the phone, before turning back towards the living room.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Lisa from Doctor Kaui's office," the woman on the other end said. "Is this Melanie Pike?"

Shifting Charlotte in her arms, Melanie held the phone up to her ear as she sat down on the sofa. "This is Melanie," she said, as Charlotte babbled.

""Just calling to let you know that our records show that you're due for your annual soon," she said, tapping away at the keys of her keyboard. "We haven't seen you in a while!"

Setting Charlotte down on her lap, Melanie sighed. "I know," she shook her head. "I've been meaning to call and make an appointment, but I've been really busy between work and taking care of my daughter."

Lisa chuckled, "That's understandable," she said. "Doctor Kaui wanted me to call you to let you know that your due for your physical exam as well as some blood work, so she can prescribe your next six months of pills.

"Mama Mama!" Charlotte whined, reaching for the phone. "'Ones!"

"Shh, it's not Uncle Leo," she said to the toddler, before turning her attention back to her call. "Sorry about that."

"That's quite alright," Lisa said. "How about you call us back when you're ready to come in? Preferably a two weeks before your last pack runs out, that way we can get the blood work in and the results back quickly."

Melanie nodded, "I'll make sure to call as soon as possible," she said. "Thank you for calling though to remind me! I honestly would've forgotten and Charlie here would be a big sister by the beginning of next year!"

"Well, let's get you in as soon as possible!" Lisa said, laughing. "Talk to you soon!"

Hanging up, Melanie looked down at Charlotte, who grabbed for the phone. "Mommy's gotta go to the doctor soon," she sighed, as she yanked the cell phone from her hand.

Charlotte began to gnaw on the corner of the phone, drooling while doing so, as she looked up at her mother. "I'm so glad you're getting better," Melanie sighed. "Mommy's been so tired."

The front door opened as Chris stepped in, "I'm home!" he shouted out, closing the door behind him.

"PA!" Charlotte squealed, dropping the phone from her grasp. "Mama Mama!"

Helping her up so that she was standing on her thighs, Charlotte lifted her arms up towards Chris as he set the grocery bags onto the kitchen table.

"Charlie girl!" he exclaimed, making his way over to the couch. "Look at you! You're nose is running."

Grabbing a tissue out of the box on the side table, Chris gently wiped her nose before leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Daddy got your bananas and your baby food," he said, moving around the sofa to sit down next to his wife. "And he also got chocolate for Mommy."

"Hmmmm, you're the best," she beamed, before kissing him. "Doctor Kaui's office just called."

"Uh oh," he shook his head. "How late are you for your visit?"

Melanie shook her head, "I still have this pack and one more to go through, before going in to renew my prescription," she said. "I'll call them on Tuesday after lecture to make an appointment."

Charlotte managed to dive into Chris's lap, squealing as Chris grunted in pain. "Ow," he gasped, as he lifted Charlotte up into a standing position. "That hurt!"

"Pa!" she squealed, grabbing at his face.

Both cats jumped onto the coffee table, watching them as they sat on the sofa. Callie meowed and jumped onto the couch, moving up the arm before settling down on the back of the sofa.

"Meeeee! Meeeee!" Charlotte pointed to her.

"Is that a kitty?" Chris asked, as Callie meowed again. "What's that noise she's making?"

"Meeeee!"

Melanie snickered as she stood up from the sofa, "I'm gonna put the food away and see about dinner," she said.

"I'll put this one in the playpen and put a movie on for her," he said, wiggling Charlotte as she giggled. "Then I'll come in and help you."

................

Rosette knocked on the open door twice, before stepping into Melanie's office with a smile.

"My god," she shook her head, taking a seat in the chair opposite of her. "You look like hell!"

Melanie groaned, "Charlie was SO fussy last night," she yawned, reaching for her cup of now cold coffee. "I don't think either of us went to be til five thirty before the alarm went off at seven."

Rosette winced, "Is she still sick?"

"No," Melanie sighed, sitting back in her chair. "Just fussy."

"What's with the post-it notes?" the woman asked, eyeing the various neon color papers that were scattered all over the desk. She plucked a green one up and read the scribbled print out loud. "Who's Doctor Kaui?"

Melanie yawned, "My gynecologist and former OB, who was supposed to deliver Charlotte."

Rosette gasped, "Are you pregnant?" she asked.

"No," Melanie shook her head. "I just called to make an appointment for my checkup in June," she said, grabbing her phone off the pile of papers to put the appointment in. "No babies."

She pouted, "And speaking of babies," Melanie set her phone down. 'How's it going with the baby making?"

"Well.. it was going good until Rick threw out his back," Rosette sighed. "Now our baby making plans are on hold until he's out of his back brace."

Melanie gasped, "What the hell kind of sex are you two having?!" she exclaimed. "Jesus! Chris and I get crazy but not  _that_ crazy!"

"It wasn't during sex!" Rosette sighed. "We're remodeling our living room and my idiot of a husband thought it would be a spectacular idea to move all the furniture himself! Tore a muscle or two and did something to his spine…god if I know."

"Well, that would put a damper on things," Melanie winced. "But who knows! Maybe the first half of your vacation was a success!"

Rosette snorted, "One could hope," she sighed. "Well, I better get my shit together so I can make it on time to my lecture."

Melanie looked at her watch and sighed, "I need to get going too," she shook her head. "Chris is going back to work tonight and I need to relieve him of baby duty so he can take a short nap."

"Good luck with that," Rosette said, as she started towards the door. "I'll call you later!"

"Looking forward to it!" Melanie said, as the door closed behind her.

Shoving the pile of loose post-its into her folder, Melanie shoved it into her work bag along with her computer and stood up. Taking the five minutes to close the windows and collect her belongings, Melanie locked up the office and made her way towards the elevator.

_On my way home now. Should be home in about 5-10 minutes,_ she typed into the text box, before sending it to Chris. By the time she made her way into the lobby, she had one text in her inbox from him.

_Hurry. Charlotte's being bad._

Snorting, Melanie shoved the phone into her bag and quickly stepped out into the warm April morning and hailed a cab.

 


	13. Chapter 13

May rolled around quickly as did the final two weeks before projects and finals were due to be submitted and administered. Counting down the days until the final lecture, Melanie started planning for the many visits that her guestroom would have in the upcoming weeks. Pavel was due back after two years in Madagascar for research, staying at the apartment for three days before jetting back to Seattle for a summer internship. Her father, David, would arrive a week after that for a weeklong visit before joining his friends for a vacation in Italy. Leonard, Jim and Joanna were still in the middle of planning their vacation, as Joanna finished up with school for the summer.

"Our house.." Melanie sighed, as she hung up with Jim. "Is going to be chaotic until god knows when."

Chris snorted, "We could always go on vacation ourselves," he shrugged. "We could take Charlie to Disney!"

"She needs to be a little taller to go on the rollercoasters," Melanie said, as Charlotte stood up in her playpen. "Maybe when she's a little older?"

"Mama!" Charlotte screeched from the playpen. "Mama!"

Setting down the laundry basket, Melanie made her way into the living room to find Charlotte's diaper on the floor near the couch. Taking a step closer to the playpen, she found her daughter stark naked as the day she was born.

"What in the world?!" Melanie exclaimed, as Charlotte babbled in her secret code. "Why are you naked?"

"What happened?" Chris called out from the kitchen.

Melanie reached in and pulled Charlotte out of the playpen, carrying her back into the kitchen to show Chris what she'd done. Looking up from the pile of garbage from the junk drawer, Chris couldn't help but snicker.

"Again?" he asked, as Charlotte cooed.

"What do you mean again?" Melanie asked, as she shifted Charlotte from one hip to the other. "She's done this before?"

Chris nodded, "She did it last week after you left for work," he shrugged. "Got up to check on her and she was standing in the crib with nothing on; diaper was hanging over the railing."

"Mama! "Nanas!" Charlotte screeched.

"Clothes and then you'll have your bananas," Melanie corrected her. "No more streaking! Little girls don't streak!"

Chris nodded, "Only big girls," he said. "When you're Mommy's age you can do that stuff."

Melanie glared at him, "What?" he asked. "It's the truth!"

"Come on, baby," Melanie cooed, kissing the side of her head as she started for the hallway. "Let's get dressed."

…....................

"Final projects are due this Thursday!" Melanie announced, as her students settled down for the hour-long lecture. "If any of you are writing papers that need to be submitted for upper division credit, please write UD on the top right corner and hand them to me!"

The clock was ticking til the following week, being finals week and bringing students both joy and stress, as they finished up final projects and crammed a semesters worth of information into their heads. Looking at her students, the ones that were close to the front of the room that is, Melanie could see the evident stress written on their faces.

"Now instead of having a regular lecture with me standing here talking for the full hour," she leaned against the table. "I figured today we could do some group work and I can let you guys out of here early."

A chorus of "YES!" rang out, as the students turned to chatter with one another. "So I want this side of the room to read the first several documents on the United States Senate inquiry for the sinking of the Titanic," she pointed to the left side of the room. "And I want you guys to look at the documents from the British Wreck Commissioner's inquiry to the sinking. Then I want you guys to, in groups of four to six, come up with questions that  _you_ would've asked if you were at the inquiry's."

She then looked down at her watch, "I'll give you guys twenty minutes and then we'll have a discussion!"

As the students chatted amongst themselves, Melanie took a seat at the table, while her TA went through her paperwork for her Graduate class. Her phone began to buzz in her pocket, startling her, as she pulled it out. Opening the text message from Chris, Melanie was surprised to see that he'd sent her a video. It had been three weeks since Chris finally gave in and bought an IPhone, after his ancient flip phone finally combusted. It took him a week to text out a full sentence and another six days to send photos. So when his message included a video, Melanie was both surprised and terrified of what she would see.

"Charlie! What are you doing?" Chris's voice rang out, as the video started. "Come here, Charlie!"

She could hear him snickering, along with Charlotte's giggles, as she crawled out from behind the couch, moving to stand on wobbly legs. Stark naked. Chris began to laugh as Charlotte screeched with joy, clapping her hands and bouncing on the heels of her feet.

"Mommy's going to be so mad when she sees this," Chris said, as Charlotte wobbled towards him. "Say hi to Mommy."

"Mama Mama!" Charlotte squealed, as she tried to grab the phone from him. "Beebeebeebee!"

Chris snickered, "Oh god," he cried, as laughter consumed him. "Our kid is a nudist! She takes after her Mommy."

Melanie groaned and chuckled at the same time, as the video ended, quickly typing out a reply to him.

_I'm going to kick your ass for encouraging her to do this. Watch your back, Chris. I mean it._

Ten seconds later she got back a kissy face along with a simple:  _Looking forward to it_ , before setting the phone down on her bag. With a deep sigh, Melanie sat back in the chair and watched as her students worked and goofed off, all while counting down the minutes to when she would be home again.

….................

Shifting on the chair, Melanie watched as her brother and Jim argued with one another over the ending to the  _gripping_ tale of who dropped the gallon of milk at the supermarket.

"You know," she finally interrupted them. "This story is SO groundbreaking, I think Nancy Grace is creaming herself right now."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Don't be tacky," he snapped, as Jim nudged him.

"Can we please talk about this vacation you two are going on?" Melanie whined. "Jo let it slip last night that you're all jetting off somewhere as soon as she gets out of school!"

Jim smiled, "We haven't told her much about it, other than the fact that we're leaving as soon as class ends."

"Where are you going?"

Jim and Leonard glanced at one another, smiling. "We're takin' her to Disney World," Leonard finally said, turning to look at his sister.

"That girl is going to have a heart attack," Melanie shook her head. "You're actually going to a bunch of amusement parks, Lenny? You do realize that you have to smile and be nice to people, right?"

Leonard scowled as Jim howled, rolling in his seat as he laughed. "You're lucky we're havin' this conversation through the computer, " Leonard said.

Jim sighed and nudged his boyfriend out of the way, "Where's the baby and Chef Hot Pants?" he asked. "It's awfully quiet on your end."

"Chris went into work for inventory and Charlotte's in the living room watching a movie," she ran her fingers through her hair. "We got her this really cute play mat thing that's in the shape of an owl. It's SO soft when you step on it!"

"Oh god," Leonard rolled his eyes, as she fidgeted in her seat.

She ignored him and continued, "We figured it was easier for her to see the television, instead of watching it through the netting or standing up in the play pen."

"You left her in there alone?" Leonard frowned. "How can you be sure that those two beasts aren't mauling her alive?"

Melanie rolled her eyes, "Claude and Callie are sleeping in the bedroom," she shrugged. "Chris took Claude for his checkup and Callie was skittish all morning."

"Mama!"

Melanie looked up over the top of her laptop, just as Charlotte appeared in the entryway of the kitchen. "Charlie! Where are your clothes?!" she cried, as Charlotte babbled at her.

Jim began to laugh, "Oh god!" he cried, nearly falling off his chair. "Are you kidding me?!"

She groaned, "She's been doing this for the last few weeks," she cried. "I can't even get her to keep a pair of socks on!"

"Streaking is pretty normal with toddlers, Mel," Leonard shrugged. "The fact that she can remove her clothes  _and_ her diaper shows her advanced motor skills too."

"But it's getting to be a bit too much," Melanie shook her head. "What the hell am I going to do when we have company? Jesus Christ, Pavel's supposed to be here next weekend and I really don't need Charlotte bursting out and surprising him with bare buns!"

Jim snickered, "Just let her go with it, Mel!" he shook his head. "As long as she doesn't shit or piss on anything, you'll be fine!"

"Mama! Mama!" Charlotte cried as she smacked the side of her legs. "Uhh!"

Pulling her up onto her lap, Melanie grabbed a folded up dishtowel from the laundry basket and draped it over her lap. "It's Uncle Leo and Uncle Jim!"

"'Ones!" Charlotte squeaked, before breaking out into peals of giggles.

"Her hair's gotten so curly," Leonard shook his head. "She's gotten so big too."

Melanie nodded, "I can't believe she's gonna be two in October," she said, shaking her head.

"Gonna have to throw a big party for her," Jim grinned. "Disney princesses and Mickey Mouse!"

Charlotte began to fuss as her mother held onto her, "I better get going," Melanie sighed. "It's lunch time and I have to get this one dressed and ready for a nap."

Leonard nodded, "Call you later?" he asked.

"Of course!" Melanie smiled. "I need to hear more about this vacation you guys are going on and all the places you'll be going to!"

With air kisses and promises to talk later, Melanie disconnected from facetime and shut the laptop down. "Okay missy," she sighed, standing up with Charlotte. "Let's got put a diaper on and get some food in this belly!"

…........

On the final day of the Spring semester, Melanie stumbled her way through the hour of collecting papers and putting a movie on for the class to watch. Waking up with a dull ache in her head, along with a queasy feeling in her gut, it was a surprise to herself and to Chris that she actually got up and ready for the day.

" _It's the last day of lecture! As soon as it's over, I'll come home,"_ she promised, before slipping her shoes on. " _I didn't eat much last night at dinner and I certainly didn't get enough sleep, with Charlotte's streaking party."_

The four hours it took to keep Charlotte from stripping out of her clothes and causing a racket in her bedroom, resulted in either both or one of them to get out of bed and attend to the toddler. Falling asleep around four-thirty, Melanie shed real tears when the alarm clock went off two hours later.

"Are you feeling okay?" Rosette asked, as Melanie packed a few books into a backpack. "You look awfully pale and usually you're a sun-kissed babe at this time of the year."

Melanie groaned, "Bad night with Charlie," she shook her head. "No sleep and I hardly ate anything."

She nodded, "Poor thing," she sighed. "Do you want me to drop the rest of that off at your place this weekend?" she asked, nodding to the pile of books and paperwork on the desk.

"You don't have to do that, Rosette!" Melanie shook her head. "You're all the way in the Bronx and I know you don't want to make the trip back out here unless it's necessary."

"Mel, you look like you're about to drop," the other woman said. "Take your personals and leave this here. I'll call down to the lobby and have Al hold a cab for you."

Melanie sighed, "You're an angel," she sighed, moving to collect her computer and the final papers that needed to be graded. "Really."

Rosette shook her head with a smile, "Just get your butt in bed and make Chris your maid for the day," she said. "Hopefully you're not coming down with that nasty flu that everyone's getting with the drastic weather changes."

"God, I hope not," she shook her head. "Let Al know that I'll be down in five. Just need to call Chris and tell him that I expect a bowl of soup waiting for me when I walk in the door."

"Atta girl," Rosette laughed. "I'll pack all this stuff up and call you later tonight when I get home."

With another grateful nod, Melanie watched as her friend moved out of the office and down the hall to the secretary. Shoving the last of her belongings into her work bag, Melanie quickly called the house to let Chris know that she was on her way home and to put a bowl of soup in the microwave for her.

"You feeling okay?" he asked, as Charlotte screeched in the background.

"Not really," she mumbled, locking up her office. "I just need to eat something and sleep for a few hours."

Chris hummed in agreement, "Since I'm off tonight, I'll deal with this terror and you're going to sleep," he said, as the microwave beeped.

"Sounds wonderful," she yawned. "I'll be home soon."

Hanging up and pocketing the phone, Melanie slipped her office keys into Rosette's hand as she waited to use the copy machine. "Al should be holding a cab for you now," she said, as Melanie started towards the elevator. "Feel better!"

Stepping into the waiting car, Melanie waved goodbye as the door slid shut. With a sigh, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

 


	14. Chapter 14

“Chris can you please get your ass out of bed and watch the baby?” Melanie shouted, as Charlotte fussed about in the living room. “I have to leave for my appointment in five minutes!” 

 

June rolled in quickly before anyone could blink, sending temperatures rising to the near triple digits and tensions rising in the Pike household. Between Charlotte’s continuous streaking and the lack of space that came with a growing child, Melanie and Chris bickered non-stop about the pros and cons of uprooting their entire lives before the fall arrived. To make matters worse, their upcoming and very last minute trip to Seattle in two weeks for Gaila’s birthday, would also consist of house hunting as well.

 

“Do you have to shout?” Chris grumbled, as he stepped into the living room. “Couldn’t you just bring her in the bedroom?”

 

“No, because you have to feed her!” Melanie huffed, setting the handful of toys into the plastic bin against the wall. “I’m going to be late!”

 

“Pa!” Charlotte squealed as she pushed her newly purchased toy stroller, stuffed with Mickey, Minnie and her Belle Barbie doll.

 

Despite the exhaustion, Chris couldn’t help but smile as he watched her move about. “I’ve got her,” he nodded, stepping over the pile of picture books that were knocked off the coffee table. “Tell Laura we miss her.”

 

Giving him a quick kiss, Melanie dashed towards the front door and grabbed her bag and keys. “I’ll be back in a half an hour!” she yelled, before closing the door behind her.

 

……………………..

 

It took twenty minutes for the nurse to find a suitable vein in her arm, collecting three vials of blood for testing. Melanie silently cursed the inept nurse, as she led her into an examination room.

 

“Doctor Kaui will be with you shortly,” the nurse said, handing her a paper gown. “I’m sure you know what to do with this?”

 

Melanie managed a sweet smile; one that her husband, father and brother knew well enough that it was far from sweet. “I’ve been here enough that I could probably do the examination myself.”

 

The nurse sighed and left the room, giving Melanie the privacy she both wanted and needed to strip from her clothes and tug the paper over her body. Sitting back down on the table, Melanie kicked her feet out in front of her and waited patiently for the doctor to arrive.

 

“Knock, Knock,” a voice called out, along with two quick knocks, before the door opened. “Ahh, if it isn’t Melanie Pike.”

 

“Laura, Laura, Laura,” Melanie shook her head, smirking. “You didn’t dress up for me today.”

 

Laura Kaui sighed, as she closed the door behind her. “I have a scheduled C-section later today,” she set Melanie’s chart down on the counter. “Don’t want to ruin my fabulous Target wear with baby goop.”

 

Melanie giggled, “Dearie me,” she shook her head. “Chris and Charlie miss you, or they miss coming in to harass the nurses…”

 

“How’s the lovely Miss Charlotte?” Laura asked, as she set up the equipment for the several exams that would be administered.

 

“Oh she’s lovely,” Melanie sighed. “Talking, walking and streaking.”

 

Laura snickered, “I wonder where she learned that from,” she said nonchalantly, glancing over at her patient.

 

The other woman rolled her eyes and sighed, “Chris says the same thing,” she shrugged.

 

“Well, Chris is probably right this one time,” Laura said, coming over to her. “Lay back and arms above your head.”

 

“Feeling me up already?” Melanie smirked, as Laura conducted the routine breast exam. “Don’t tell my husband.”

Laura snorted as she felt for lumps and other abnormalities, pushing down on the flesh. “Easy,” Melanie winced.

 

“Tender?”

 

She nodded, “A little bit,” she said.

 

Laura nodded and moved back to the counter, scribbling something down on the chart. “Okay, let’s take a look and get a pap done.”

 

Melanie groaned, “Oh my favorite part,” she muttered, setting her feet into the stirrups.

 

Grabbing the items needed, Laura brought the light down further and prepped Melanie for her exam. “Oh god,” Melanie groaned in discomfort. “Thank god I only do this once a year.”

 

“Just relax,” Laura said quietly, taking a quick look at her cervix. “Hmmm, that’s odd.”

 

“What’s odd?” Melanie asked, lifting her head up.

 

Laura pushed the stool back and looked up at her patient, “When’s the last time you had your period?” she asked.

 

“Ummm, April?” she frowned. “I think it was April.”

 

“April?”

 

Melanie shrugged, “It’s been as stressful time with work and the baby,” she sighed. “And this new birth control you put me on did something to my periods because I get them every other month it seems.”

 

Laura nodded and removed the speculum slowly, setting it down on the tray near the bed. “I want to do a scan,” she nodded, removing her gloves. “Just need to be sure if my observation is correct.”

 

“Oh god,” Melanie whimpered, as Laura prepared the wand for the transvaginal scan. “Is it cancer?”

 

“Shhh,” Laura shook her head, as she turned the machine on. “Just relax.”

 

Melanie hissed as the wand went in, tensing up and clutching the sides of her gown, as Laura tapped away at the keyboard. Trying to relax, Melanie listened as Laura muttered and adjusted the image on the screen.

 

“I was right,” she finally said, breaking Melanie out of her thoughts.

 

“Oh god, oh god,” Melanie cried, as tears filled her eyes. “I’m dying, aren’t I? All those times I let the cell phone or laptop on my lap, has finally given me cancer!”

 

Laura snickered, “No, you don’t have cancer,” she shook her head. “You’re pregnant.”

 

…………………

 

When Melanie returned home, twenty minutes later than expected, her husband and her very naked child quickly met her.

 

“Mommy’s home!” Chris exclaimed, as Charlotte waved at her. “Don’t panic, I was getting ready to put her in the bath and I forgot the soap in the bag out here.”

 

She nodded, “I’ll help you,” she said, managing a small smile.

 

Dropping her bag and keys, she followed them down the hall, through their bedroom and into the bathroom. Easing her into the lukewarm water, Chris knelt against the tub and grabbed the tiny bucket to wet Charlotte’s hair.

  
“So,” he popped open the bottle of shampoo. “How’s the machinery down there?”

 

“Good,” Melanie nodded, as Charlotte dunked her bath toys under the soapy water.

 

Chris nodded, “I guess it was busy at the pharmacy,” he said, massaging the suds through Charlotte’s hair. “She was getting so fussy when she realized you weren’t home.”

 

Melanie looked down at her lap, “I.. uh.. I didn’t go to the pharmacy,” she said quietly.

 

He turned quickly to look at her, ignoring the giant splash of water that soaked his arms. “What?” he asked, frowning. “Oh god, did you get the shot instead? Mel, I thought we talked about how dangerous the Depo-Provera shot could be!”

 

“I didn’t get any shots,” she quickly sputtered. “Chris..”

 

Chris turned to her, glancing quickly at Charlotte, before setting his soapy hands on her knees. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Mellie, did something happen with your results?”

 

She looked at him for a moment, seeing the worry flashing in his eyes and feeling his thumb tracing small circles against her knee. “Chris, I’m pregnant.”

 

 

………………..

 

Leonard cursed as he shoved the key into the lock, while struggling under the weight of two duffle bags.

 

“Daddy! Hurry!” Joanna whined, as she and Jim made their way up to the porch with their suitcases. “I have to go to the bathroom!”

 

“I’m trying, Jo!” Leonard yelled, as the key turned. “Finally!”

 

Pushing the door opened, Leonard was hit with an equally hot blast of air. Dragging the suitcase in behind him, he dropped the bags near the staircase and turned to help Jim and Joanna.

 

“Go on,” Jim nodded his head towards the hallway. “Make sure you wash your hands”

 

Joanna raced off down the hallway, slamming the bathroom door behind her. “I’ll go open some windows,” Jim said, patting Leonard on the shoulder. “Just leave this stuff here for a bit and go get a drink. You look like you’ve been suffering for days.”

 

Going their separate ways, Leonard grabs a glass out of the cabinet and quickly fills it up with water. Taking large gulps, his parched throat is relieved with the cool liquid.

 

“Jim!! Can I bring my stuff upstairs?” Joanna shouts from somewhere in the house.

 

Leonard sets the glass down on the counter and moves to the back door, unlocking it and pulling it open to let some air filter through the kitchen. He tackled the windows next, sighing in relief as the hot and stuffy kitchen cools down.

 

“Bonesy,” Jim called from the hallway, his voice coming closer and closer to the kitchen. “Are you decent?”

 

“Course I’m decent,” Leonard snorted, as Jim stepped into the kitchen. “Unlike my sister, I don’t plan on scaring my child by walking around stark naked.”

 

Jim snickered, “Which is good because I really don’t need to see Jo walking around with no clothes on,” he shook his head. “When she was six and required supervision for bath time it made sense. But at thirteen? No thank you.”

 

Leonard rolled his eyes, “Thank the lord!” he cried in mock relief. “My boyfriend isn’t a secret child predator.”

 

“That’s not funny,” Jim said, the sudden change in his demeanor throwing Leonard off. “Don’t even _joke_ about pedophilia.”

 

“I- I’m sorry,” Leonard managed to get out, shaking his head. “I- Jim?”

 

The blonde slowly looked up at him, his eyes hard as they stared into his. “Just.. don’t joke about it.”

 

It hit Leonard like a dozen bricks, “Oh Jim,” he shook his head, pulling the man close to him. “I’m sorry, darlin’.”

 

Jim tensed for only a moment, before sagging against Leonard. “I want to tell you about it,” he mumbled. “But not today. And especially with Joanna running about the house.”

 

“Okay,” Leonard nodded. “You tell me when you’re ready and you’ll have my undivided attention.”

 

“Kay,” Jim mumbled, before lifting his head up from Leonard’s shoulder. “Love you, Bones.”

 

Leonard ran his fingers through the short hairs at the base of Jim’s neck soothingly and sighed, “Love you too, Kid.”

 

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

Melanie sat quietly on the edge of the bed, the hum of the air conditioner the only sound in the room. Over it, the traffic from outside was miniscule, along with the crackling of the baby monitor on the dresser.

 

“How..” Chris finally spoke, leaning against the dresser across from her. “How far along are you?”

 

It had only been five minutes since she broke the news, opting to discuss about it after Charlotte was out of the bath and in the crib for her nap. She left Chris alone in the bathroom with their daughter, moving to collect her bag and phone from the front hall of the apartment and staying out of the way as Chris got Charlotte dried and dressed.

 

“Five weeks,” she said softly. “I think it happened after I took that antibiotic I had left over from that cold I caught in January. I started feeling sick after Charlotte got a better and took a pill.”

 

Chris nodded and said nothing, which worried Melanie greatly. “Are… are you mad?” she asked, glancing up at him quickly, before looking down at her hands.

 

“Mad?” he asked, as if it were a silly question.

 

She nodded, “You don’t… you don’t seem happy about this.”

In two short steps, Chris was kneeling in front of her and taking her hands into his. “I could never be mad about something like this,” he said. “Mel, five minutes ago you just told me that we’re having another baby. How could I be mad about something like this?”

 

“Because all we do is fight about the space in this apartment and how difficult it is to get Charlotte to keep her goddamn clothes on.”

 

Chris snorted, “Sweetheart,” he reached up to cup her face with his hands. “If you really thing that our arguments about a damn house equates to my unhappiness about another baby… then you need to get your head checked out.”

 

She sighed deeply, “I’m happy if you’re happy, Mel,” he finally said. “You caught me off guard with your news because you were so adamant about waiting until Charlie was a little older to have another baby.”

 

“I was,” Melanie mumbled. “But my birth control had other plans.”

 

Chris snorted, “Guess we’ll have to buy condoms in stock after this,” he said.

 

Melanie nodded, “Are you sure we can do this? Charlotte’s a handful as it is and adding a newborn to the mix is suicide.”

 

“Mel, we can handle anything,” he said. “I tell you this all the time that we are fully capable of anything and everything that falls into our laps. By the time you have the baby, Charlotte will be two and a bit more manageable than she is right now… hopefully anyway.”

 

“Okay,” she nodded. “Guess we should start taking house hunting seriously, huh?”

 

Chris moved from the floor to the bed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “We could always wait until the baby’s born,” he shrugged. “Unless you really want to spend our entire week in Seattle looking at houses.”

 

“Might as well,” Melanie sighed. “But I don’t want to tell anyone yet. Let’s wait until we get pass the twelve mark stage this time.”

 

“Whatever you want to do,” he kissed the side of her head. “How about I make you some lunch and we put a movie on, hm? Take advantage of a little down time before Charlie wakes up.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I might end up falling asleep on you,” she warned, as he stood up. “I’m pretty tired.”

 

“Which is why we’ll put a movie on in here,” he grinned. “You’re going to get as much rest as you can for this pregnancy, Mel. “

 

She stood up and snorted, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” she shook her head. “Come on, you said something about lunch and I’m starving.”

 

……………..

 

The week before their scheduled trip back to Seattle, brought the first wave of morning sickness. After three days, Melanie was both shocked and relived to find that it wasn’t as awful as the first time; she could no longer tolerate milk or eggs, along with pork. That week also brought their first pre-natal exam out of many, much to Chris’s excitement. Laura was pleased to see both him and Charlie, as she stepped into the exam room and spent a good ten minutes playing with the little girl before performing the exam.

 

“Let’s just hope this one stays in the full forty weeks,” Laura smirked, as she printed out the photos.

 

At home, after stopping to pick up prenatal vitamins and food for dinner, they sat Charlotte down on her play mat and showed her the pictures of the tiny blob that would soon become a full grown baby.

 

“You’re gonna be a big sister, Charlie,” Chris said, as Charlotte clutched her toy block in one hand. “Mommy has a baby in her tummy.”

 

“Pa! NO!” she shrieked, frowning at him.

 

Melanie snorted, “Oh no,” she shook her head. “Jealousy already!”

 

Chris sighed, “Don’t tell me no, little miss,” he tickled her, getting a peal of giggles in return. “Now you’ll have someone to play with and boss around!”

 

Holding out the blue block, Charlotte looked up at him almost expectantly. “You want Daddy to help you build a castle?” he asked, as he took the toy from her.

 

“You two build your castle,” Melanie said, as she rolled onto her knees. “I’m going to start getting our stuff together for our trip.”

 

“I’ll take the suitcase down later,” he said, as she leaned in for a quick kiss. “Just fold all the clothes up and put them on the chair.”

 

Melanie pushed herself up to her feet, “I am perfectly capable of taking the suitcase down myself,” she snorted, as Chris dragged the basket of multi-colored blocks over to him and Charlotte.

 

“Mel…” he warned, looking up at her.

 

“Okay! I wont touch the suitcase!” she laughed, holding her hands up. “Make sure you put those blocks back in the basket when you’re done. Last time I stepped on one and it hurt like a you know what.”

 

Chris snorted, “Yes Ma’am,” he nodded, holding out a green block. “Go on, Charlie! Start with the tower!”

 

Shaking her head, Melanie started down the hallway to the bedroom, looking down at the sonogram photo in her hand as she went. Despite the nagging feeling of worry and uncertainty of raising two small children in a tiny apartment, she knew that everything would eventually work out in their favor.

 

………….

 

“Charlie, get out of the suitcase,” Melanie sighed, as she folded up another shirt. “Mommy’s trying to put the clothes in there.”

 

Charlotte babbled as she pulled at the straps inside the case, breaking out into shrieks and squeals. “Deedeedeedee!” she chanted, tugging at the once neatly folded clothes in the case.

 

Melanie sighed, “Chris!” she shouted, as Charlotte reached for the pile of shorts, which were stacked next to her. “Dammit! Charlie, no!”

 

A few seconds later, Chris came in from Charlotte’s room, holding one of her stuffed animals in hand. “What are you doing, Charlie?” he asked, moving her out of the bag.

 

“Uhh!! NO!” she began to whine, as Chris laid across the bed, settling her next to him.

 

“Look!” he held the pink lamb up for her to see. “It’s your baby!”

 

Melanie quickly fixed the clothes that Charlotte had pulled apart in the suitcase, before setting the next folded pile in, “Did you pack her bag?” she asked, moving back to her dresser.

 

Chris nodded, “I wasn’t sure which shoes you wanted, so I left them out for you to decide,” he yawned. “Did Len say if he got the pool floaties for her or not?”

 

“Jim got them yesterday when he went to Wal-Mart,” Melanie said, as she came over to the bed with a pile of underwear and a few bras. “Len said he picked the girliest float he’s ever seen.”

 

“Mama!” Charlotte whined, as she shook the lamb in her hand.

 

“Mama’s packing for our trip to see everyone!” she said, as Chris held the toddler close to his side. “We’re going to see Uncle Scotty and Aunt Gaila for her birthday!”

 

The toddler began to whimper, growing fussy at being confined to one part of the bed. “And we’re going to stay with Uncle Len and Uncle Jim!” he continued. “Joanna can’t wait to see you too!”

 

“’Ones!”

 

He snickered, “Yes baby girl,” he fixed the back of her shirt. “Uncle Bones.”

 

“Don’t encourage her to call him that, Chris,” Melanie warned.

 

“She can call him whatever she wants,” he retorted, as he pulled Charlotte onto his chest. “Right? You can call Uncle Len by his nickname!”

 

Charlotte wacked his chin, causing him to yelp in both pain and shock. Melanie snorted as she zipped the suitcase halfway, before pulling it off the bed. “Don’t get too comfortable, Chris,” she warned. “You need to pack up your “man bag” with your toiletries, because I don’t want a repeat of how you couldn’t find a decent razor when we were in Edinburgh.”

 

He snorted, “I will pack my “man bag” before we go to bed,” he promised.

 

“Sure you will,” she shook her head. “I’m going to finish packing up Charlie’s bag and print out the boarding passes.”

…………..

 

The family moved further and further away from the airplane, following the other passengers as they stepped into the air-conditioned terminal of _Jet Blue._

 

“I have to pee,” Melanie groaned, as she shifted the strap of her carry on. “And I need to change her diaper.”

 

Chris nodded as he held Charlotte against his hip, “I’ll take that bag and you take this one,” he said, pulling the strap of the diaper bag off his shoulder.

 

Switching bags quickly, Melanie took the grumpy toddler from him and started towards the restrooms. Fifteen minutes and one fresh diaper later, Melanie met Chris outside of the restrooms before taking the escalator down to the main level.

 

“Jim and Len should be here,” she said, as Charlotte wiggled in her arms. “I hope they saw my text I sent them before the plane took off.”

 

Chris wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling them close to his side. “They’ll be here somewhere,” he said, looking around at the crowd of people moving back and forth.

 

“MEL!”

 

Turning her head, Melanie spotted her brother near the wall as Jim bounced on his heels. “There they are!” she smiled, nodding her head in their direction.

 

Making their way through the crowd, Melanie smiled as Leonard walked up to her, holding his arms out. “Hi!!” she exclaimed, accepting the hug he gave her. “My goodness! Look at you!”

 

“Look at me? Look at you!” he shook his head. “You’re blonder and skinny!”

 

She blushed, “You look like you stepped out of a GQ advertisement,” she said, taking in the slim cut jeans and stylish button-down. “Jim is doing a great job!”

 

“ “Ones!!!” Charlotte squealed, holding her hands out for him.

 

“Miss Charlotte!” Leonard cried, taking her from Melanie. “You’ve gotten SO big since I last saw you! My goodness!”

 

Melanie pulled Jim into a hug, squealing as he kissed her cheek. “Jesus, you look hot,” Jim snickered. “It’s a good thing we made up the downstairs guestroom for you and Chris.”

 

Chris rolled his eyes, “I have a feeling that’s a good thing for us,” he said, as Jim hugged him. “God only knows what you two are like in your own home.”

 

“Coming from the man who makes his wife squeak like a mouse, when her brother, his boyfriend and young daughter are down the hall in the guestroom,” Jim shook his head, as he took Charlotte from Leonard. “That makes me laugh.”

 

“’OOH!” Charlotte screeched, before giggling.

 

Jim smiled, “Yes! Uncle Jim!” he nodded, kissing her on the cheek.

 

Leonard smiled as his boyfriend and goddaughter babbled with one another, before turning to his sister and brother-in-law. “Let’s get your bags and bring ya home! Jo’s been driving Scotty and Gaila crazy all morning long.”

 

“Baggage is that way,” Leonard nodded towards the growing crowd. “You take Charlie and we’ll get your things.”

 

Jim reluctantly handed Charlotte back to Melanie, while Chris set the carry on bag next to Melanie’s feet. “Be right back,” he kissed her. “Don’t run off.”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “I would _never,”_ she smirked. “Don’t forget her stroller either.”

 

With another quick kiss, Chris turned and followed Jim and Leonard towards the baggage claim, just as the bags started to come out one by one. With a deep sigh, Melanie looked down at her daughter and smiled.   
  
“I’m glad we’re here, Charlie girl,” she said softly. “Maybe we’ll find a big ol’ house here before we go back.” 


	16. Chapter 16

“AUNT MELLIE!!! CHARLIE’S MAKING A MESS!” Joanna screeched from somewhere in the house.

 

Melanie groaned as she lounged across the bed in the guestroom, exhausted from the full days events; traveling and seeing their friends had finally caught up to her.

 

“I’ll go get her,” Chris sighed, sitting up. “You just relax, Mel. It’s been a long day.”

 

Nodding, Melanie watched as he left the bedroom, before rolling over onto her side and pulling the pillows further down under her head.  The cool breeze filtered through the open windows, making the curtains dance. Between the rustling of the trees and the wind chimes that hung off the back porch, Melanie was lulled into a light slumber as she waited for Chris to return.

  
“You need to be good, Charlie,” Chris said, as he stepped into the bedroom, holding the toddler in his arms. “Mommy’s tired and we can’t keep rushing out to stop you from breaking everything.”

 

Opening her eyes, Melanie watched as Chris settled down on the bed with Charlotte, sitting her down between them both.

 

“What did she do now?” she asked, yawning.

 

“Tried knocking the vase off the coffee table,” he sighed. “Then she pulled some of the books off the bottom shelf of the bookcase.”

 

Charlotte began to crawl around, sucking furiously on her pacifier, as she tried to climb on Melanie’s legs.

 

She groaned, “We should probably buy her a leash,” she said, as Chris gently pulled the girl back to the middle of the bed. “She obviously cannot be by herself.”

 

“She’s not a dog,” Chris snorted, as Charlotte laid on her back, kicking her feet up in the air. “We just need to keep an eye on her and move all the breakable stuff from her reach.”

 

“Hmmm,” Melanie nodded, her eyes closed.

 

Chris snickered, “Come on, little one,” he said, getting up. “Mommy’s tired and it’s time for you to go to sleep.”

 

When he returned to the bedroom ten minutes later, Melanie was dead to the world and sprawled out on her side of the bed. Tucking her in, Chris turned the lamp off and slipped under the covers next to her.

 

…………….

“Okay! Okay!” Melanie yelped, as Leonard lightly pushed her back inside. “I’ll just play the stereotypical role as housewife and help make a goddamn salad.”

 

Leonard snorted, “Chris would have my hide if you burned yourself on the grill,” he shook his head. “Plus, your daughter needs her bananas.”

 

She grumbled, moving back into the kitchen to join the others. Nyota stood at the sink, washing the bowls as Gaila sat at the counter picking at a tray of horderves.

 

“Uh oh,” Christine smiled, as she tickled Charlotte lightly. “Your Mommy’s here!”

 

Melanie smiled, “Do you have bananas?” she asked, looking at Gaila.

 

“Sir Hot Pants made sure we had enough bananas to keep the princess happy,” she grinned, nodding to the fruit bowl on the table.

 

“Sir Hot Pants?” Melanie asked, as she pulled a banana off the one bunch. “How is my husband getting all these nicknames?”

 

Nyota snorted, “Um, because he’s hot?” she asked. “Did you see the jeans he’s wearing today? Do you know how hard it was to get Spock to wear only his boxers to bed?”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “I did see the jeans that my husband is wearing,” she said, moving to the counter. “They’re jeans.”

 

Christine, Gaila and Nyota looked at one another, “Um,” Christine snorted. “How about you take another look at him?”

 

Nodding to the sliding door, Melanie quickly turned her head and watched as Chris, Leonard and Scotty stood by the grill. She took note of what he was wearing; a white tee and dark grey jeans. It was common attire that he always wore when out of the house, instead if the sweatpants or shorts that he wore while lounging around all day. But there was something different about the way the clothes fit, that caught Melanie’s attention.

 

“Oh my god,” she gasped.

 

Gaila giggled behind her at the counter, as Charlotte babbled for attention. “Told ya!”

 

“What the hell?” Melanie shook her head, blinking several times. “Those look distinctively like the jeans my brother and Jim wear!”

 

Nyota laughed, “Except Jim’s are extremely tight and so close to splitting in half when he bends over!”

 

Melanie looked back at them, “Oh my god, is my husband going through a mid-life crisis?” she asked, worried. “Do you think he looks at the others and gets worried that he’s too old to hang around them?”

 

“Oh my god,” Christine snorted, shaking her head. “I personally think he bought slim fit jeans just to get your panties wet!”

 

Gaila choked on a spinach puff, “Christine!” Melanie gasped, as the blonde laughed. “Holy shit!”

 

“Is everything alright in there?” Scotty asked.

 

The girls turned around to find him, along with Chris, standing in the doorway.

 

“Oh everything’s fine!” Gaila waved her hand at him. “Mel’s just admiring the view!”

 

Melanie blushed and quickly went to prepare Charlotte’s snack, feeling her husband’s stare bearing against her.

 

“What are yeh talkin’ about?” Scotty asked, scoffing. “What view?”

 

The girls giggled which brought a squeal out of Charlotte, as she sat in the high chair. “Mama!”

 

“Just a second!” Melanie said, as she sliced the banana; dropping the pieces into a plastic bowl.

 

Setting the final slices of bananas into the bowl, Melanie turned around and stopped short. Chris stood by the highchair, tweaking Charlotte’s nose as she giggled and grabbed at his hand. From a closer view, Melanie took in the tightness of his jeans and felt her face flush.

 

“Mel?”

 

She jumped, breaking out of her daze to find Chris staring at her with a frown. “You all right?” he asked, as she made her way over to them. “You look a little flush.”

 

“I’m fine,” she smiled, setting the bowl down on the high chair tray. “Just a little warm in here.”

 

Gaila and Nyota snickered as they prepped a salad, earning a quick glare from Melanie, before she turned her attention back to Charlotte. Picking up a slice, Melanie fed the toddler, as Chris stood close by her side. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Chris leaned in a kissed the side of her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder.

 

“I’m assuming you’re admiring my ass in these jeans?” he asked, sending shivers down her spine. “It’s okay if you were. That was the point of getting them.”

 

Melanie cleared her throat, “There’s no need to sound so smug, Christopher.”

 

“How can I not be, when you’re blushing like a virgin bride on her wedding night, Melanie?” he whispered, nipping at her ear.

 

“If you two are done whisperin’ all the dirty thing’s ya’ll are plannin’ to do later,” Leonard sighed. “I could use some help with the grill!”

 

The couple looked over at the back door, watching as Leonard scowled at them both for their behavior. “I’ll be there in a sec,” Chris nodded, before turning his attention back to Melanie. “You have this under control?”

 

Charlotte was drooling on her fingers at that point, waiting impatiently for another banana slice.

 

“Go before he drags you out by your ears,” she giggled, as he kissed her cheek.

 

Tickling Charlotte lightly, Chris started for the backdoor, glancing back to find Melanie staring at him with lust. She blushed deeply when he winked at her, before stepping out into the summer sun.

 

“Someone’s getting laid tonight!” Gaila giggled, as she walked over to the fridge.

 

……………

 

An hour later, the food done and on the table, the entire group of family and friends sat around the large table to celebrate Gaila’s birthday. Nestled between both her parents, Charlotte managed to make a mess of herself within seconds of sitting down.

 

“So!” Scotty tapped his can of soda with a plastic fork. “Gaila and Ah have some news!”

 

Silence fell around the table, minus the babbling from Charlotte, as everyone turned to look at the couple. Gaila blushed as Scotty smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

 

“What’s the news?” Jim asked, bouncing in his seat. “Did Gaila finally force you to get your Masters?”

 

Leonard nudged him to pipe down, “No,” Scotty snorted. “Ah would nevah!”

 

Gaila shook her head, smiling. “Scotty and I are thrilled to announce that we’re….” she trailed off, looking at all her guests with a big smile. “HAVING A BABY!!!”

  
A chorus of shouts and congratulations that went around, as the couple smiled. Melanie managed to keep the water from shooting out of her nose, as Chris glanced at her with worry.

 

“To Gaila and Scotty!” Hikaru beamed, holding up his beer. “May they have the cutest ginger baby ever!”

 

As the conversation shifted to talk about the new baby, Melanie quietly picked at her food. Leonard took notice of her strange behavior, watching her from across the table with a frown.

 

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked, as Jim broke away from his conversation with Joanna.

 

“I am,” Melanie nodded, spearing a pepper with her fork. “Just don’t want to save room for cake.”

 

“Did you see the girly liquor in the kitchen?” Jim asked. “I’m surprised you haven’t cracked a bottle open yet.”

 

Chris was busy wiping the remains of Charlotte’s lunch from her face, when he glanced up at her.

 

“I’m not drinking these days,” Melanie shrugged. “I’m on a diet and I rather save the sugar intake for the cake.”

 

By now, Nyota and Spock were listening in on the conversation with curious looks on their face. “I didn’t know you were on a diet,” Nyota said. “I thought you lost the last few pounds that you gained with Charlotte?”

 

Melanie nodded, “I did,” she laughed nervously. “But I’m doing a cleansing diet… it’s new.”

 

Leonard sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Is that why you didn’t touch the bacon this morning? Or any of that egg salad that Janice whipped up?”

 

“Len,” Chris warned, shaking his head.

 

“I’m just curious about this “diet” that my sister is on,” Leonard held his hand up, before turning his gaze back to his sister. “What’s it called?”

  
Melanie shrugged, “I don’t know what it’s called,” she waved her hand at him. “It’s some new diet that I read about in a magazine and I figured I’d try it! Jesus Lenny, leave me alone!” she whined.

 

Jim placed his hand on Leonard’s arm, “Just stop,” he whispered. “Deal with this later when we’re not in the company of our friends.”

 

“Fine,” he shook his head. “I just don’t think you need to lose anymore weight, Mel. You look perfect the way you are and I don’t want you lookin’ like a skeleton.”

 

“Thank you, Len,” she nodded.

 

“Well, if that’s all settled,” Jim nodded, looking between his boyfriend and his sister. “But you should try the egg salad, Mel. Whatever Janice put into it makes it SO much better!”

 

Melanie shrugged, “Maybe,” she said, eyeing the bowl critically. The sight, along with the smell, made her stomach roll.

 

And of course, Leonard picked up on it, when she turned a shade or two paler than normal. “Okay,” he dropped his fork onto his plate. “What’s going on?”

 

Silence fell around the table, as everyone turned to look at them. “Len, stop it,” Melanie hissed.

 

“No,” he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but you’re actin’ strange now and you’re freakin’ me out!”

 

“What’s going on?” Hikaru asked. “Are we fighting?”

  
Gaila pouted, “Don’t fight guys!” she begged. “It’s a happy day!”

 

“We’re not fighting,” Melanie insisted. “Len’s just being his bossy old self, is all.”

 

“Then why did you turn the lightest shade of green when you looked at that bowl,” he asked, pointing to the offending item on the table.

 

Chris shook his head, “Enough!” he snapped. “Just leave her alone!”

 

Embarrassed, Melanie pulled the napkin out of her lap and placed it on the table, ready to bolt.

 

“Mel.”

 

She looked up to see Gaila looking at her, “What’s wrong?” she mouthed, looking worried.

 

“Nothing,” she mouthed back, shaking her head, before turning to Chris. “I’m going out front for a moment.”

 

“Oh my god!” Jim cried out, startling them all. “Are you like.. dying?”

 

Melanie frowned, “What?” she asked, as Jim’s eyes filled with tears.

 

“That’s why you’re not eating!” he shook his head. “You’ve got some terminal illness and you’re dying!”

 

Chris groaned, “Oh for fuck’s sake,” he muttered, shaking his head.

  
“I’m not dying!” Melanie finally snapped. “Jesus Christ! I’m pregnant!”

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

Nearly everyone was stunned into silence, as they stared at her. But Melanie was too busy glaring at her brother to notice it all.

 

“Does that satisfy your need to know, Len?” she snapped. “Goddamnit, I can’t even keep anything personal to myself anymore!”

 

“Y-you’re pregnant?” Gaila gasped, covering her mouth.

 

The sudden pang of regret hit Melanie, as her surprise announcement ruined Gaila and Scotty’s. “I wasn’t going to tell anyone until later on,” she started, before the redhead shook her head. “Gaila, I’m sorry!”

 

Gaila dropped her hands away from her face and smiled, “Why are you sorry?” she asked, shaking her head. “Do you know how happy this makes me? I won’t be the only one going through this alone!”

 

“But yer not going to be alone!” Scotty frowned, looking slightly insulted. “Ah’ll be here with yeh!”

 

“But you wont be pregnant, Scotty,” Gaila smiled at him. “You’ll just suffer from my mood swings!”

 

She then stood up and picked up her glass, “Let’s go inside and get a cold drink,” she said to Melanie. “Girls?”

 

Nyota, Christine and Janice set pushed their chairs back from the table and stood up, collecting their glasses, cans and bottles and started for the door.

 

“Go on,” Chris said, as he nodded his head in the direction of the girls. “I’ll deal with this one and your brother.”

 

Without a second glance at her brother, Melanie quickly stood up and followed the others into the kitchen, sliding the door shut behind her.

 

“Are you happy now?” Chris asked, looking at his brother-in-law. 

Leonard looked both embarrassed and upset at the sudden change of events, “I was just worried about her,” he mumbled.   
  
Chris stood up and unbuckled Charlotte from the high chair, “If my wife was dying of some terminal illness, I think we would’ve told you all right away,” he snapped. “We were going to wait until she was further along unlike the last time when you forced the news out of her.”

 

“Chris..” Jim started, before Chris shook his head.

 

“I’m taking the baby for a walk,” he said, starting towards the side of the house. “Congratulations Scotty. Sorry we put a damper on the party.”

 

Before Scotty could say anything, Chris was already off the patio and unlatching the side gate that led into the driveway.

 

………….

 

“How far along are you?” Gaila asked.

 

“Seven weeks,” Melanie sighed, resting her hands against her belly. “What about you?”

 

“Six,” she smiled. “I know you’re supposed to wait until the twelve week mark to tell everyone, but we figured that with everyone under the same roof…”

 

Melanie nodded, “No, I know,” she said. “Chris and I were going to wait until then only because we didn’t get the chance to do that last time.”

 

Gaila rolled onto her side, “I’m not mad, if that’s what you’re worried about,” she said. “I’m fucking relieved actually! Scotty’s been hovering non-stop since I told him and all the ladies at work are like…. A hundred years old and have shriveled up uteruses.”

 

The door to the bedroom opened as Christine and Janice came in with drinks in hand, along with a bowl of chips. “What are we talking about in here?” Janice asked, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

 

“Our fertilized uteruses,” Gaila smirked, as Janice rolled her eyes.

 

“You’ll have to excuse Janice,” Christine giggled. “She hates the idea of something fertilizing in her uterus.”

 

Melanie frowned, “But if you two wanted children…” she started, eyeing both blondes with curiosity. “Who would carry the baby?”

 

Christine held her hand up, “If we wanted kids, I would do it,” she shrugged. “But I think we’re good with two cats and a hermit crab.”

 

“Hmmm,” Gaila sighed. “Though I wouldn’t mind being part of the turkey baster thing.” 

“Gaila!” Melanie gasped, as the redhead giggled. “You have a filthy mouth!”

 

“A filthy mouth that Scotty loves,” she winked, earning giggles from Janice and Christine. “So.. I’m guess that you’re due in February?”

 

Melanie nodded, “Unless this one follows Charlotte’s footsteps and get’s parole,” she sighed. “Praying for a full forty weeks! Hell, I’ll even take thirty-nine weeks, as long as it stays in there.”

 

“When are you due?” Christine asked, nodding to Gaila.

 

“January tenth is my “expected” due date, but doctor said it could be earlier or later than that,” she shrugged. “I can’t believe we’re having babies around the same time! I hope one of us as a boy and the other a girl, so they can grow up, fall in love and get married!”

 

“God help us all,” Janice sighed, as she sat up. “Let’s go see if the cake is ready! Nyota made the most delicious looking cake ever and you know how everyone get’s about Nyota’s baking!”

 

…………

 

Later that evening, long after the party came to an end, the group returned back to Leonard and Jim’s house and got ready for bed. Charlotte went down easy that night, after a long day of being passed around and played with, much to Chris and Melanie’s relief. 

 

“I thought vacations were supposed to be relaxing,” Chris yawned, as Melanie curled up next to him on the bed. “I’m fucking _exhausted.”_

“It was a long day,” she mumbled, tucking her face into the heavy material of his sweatshirt. “Plus you were drinking and it’s starting to make you sleepy.”

 

“’S too bad you can’t have your way with me,” he mumbled. “I wore those jeans simply for that purpose.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Tomorrow,” she yawned. “Jim is taking Len and Jo out for breakfast and I persuaded him to take Charlie too. Aren’t I a good wife?”

 

Chris hummed out his answer and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, drifting further and further into unconsciousness. Then, the baby monitor on the nightstand went off; Charlotte’s cries filling their room.

 

“Nooooo,” Melanie whined, throwing her leg across his. “Why must she do this?”

 

“I don’t know,” he groaned, moving to sit up. “Let me go check on her and I’ll be right down.”

 

Melanie sat up, “I’ll go with you,” she said, crawling across the mattress and setting her foot down on the carpet. “You’ll probably fall on the stairs into a deep sleep if you go alone.”

“That’s impossible,” Chris snorted, as they started out of the room. “Who in the world does something like that?”

 

She took his hand as they started to climb up the staircase. “I’ve done it before,” she shrugged. “It’s really not good for your neck and back.”

 

Chris snorted, “I would hope not,” he shook his head as they reached the door to the other guestroom. “Charlie?”

 

Pushing the door open, they spotted their daughter standing up in the crib, hysterically crying. Upon their entrance, she began to cry harder as she pointed out to them.

 

“Oh sweetie,” Chris cooed, pulling her out of the crib. “What’s wrong?”

 

Melanie patted the back of her diaper, “She’s dry,” she frowned. “Are you hungry?”

 

Charlotte continued to cry, as Chris sat down on the bed. “How about we stay up here for a while? Until she sleeps.”

“Okay,” she nodded, moving to crawl into the other side. “Come here, Charlie.”

 

Setting her down between them, Chris and Melanie rolled onto their sides and gently rested their hands on the toddler; one stroking her tummy while the other stroked the back of her head.

 

“I guess she missed us,” Melanie whispered, as Charlotte began to calm down. “I didn’t realize what separate bedrooms in a foreign place would do such a thing.”

 

They both looked down as Charlotte slowly relaxed, her eyelids drooping as she made an array of sounds. When she was finally asleep, her parents could finally relax.

 

“Let’s stay up here tonight,” Melanie whispered. “I don’t want to leave her.”

 

Chris nodded and sat up slowly, pulling the folded up quilt that laid along the edge of the bed. Sitting up, Melanie took the other end and shook the blanket out, pulling in up to cover herself and Charlotte.

 

“Comfortable?” Chris asked, as he pulled the quilt up to his hip.

 

Melanie nodded as she shifted under the blanket. “Very,” she yawned. “Hmm, love you.”

 

“Love you, too,” he whispered back, watching as she fell asleep.

 

………….

 

Chris groaned as he stretched his legs under the blanket, reaching out to pull Melanie into his arms. Instead, as he opened his eyes, he was met with a cold mattress and pillows. Blinking, Chris lifted his head up and glanced at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was a little after eleven-thirty. With another groan, Chris pulled himself out of bed and stumbled out of the guestroom and across the hall to the bathroom.

 

When he made his way down into the kitchen, he found Joanna sitting at the table , while Leonard stood at the stovetop. From outside, he heard water splashing and Charlotte screeching as Melanie called out to her.

 

“Hi Uncle Chris!” Joanna waved at him. “Are you gonna have breakfast?”

 

“In a little bit,” he said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “Is your Aunt outside?”

 

Joanna nodded, “Jim is in the pool with her!”

 

Nodding, Chris made his way towards the sliding door and looked out; Joanna’s flower garden was the first thing that caught his eye, as a mix of various flowers grew along the back fence in almost every color imaginable.

 

“One day you wont need this plastic thingy,” Jim said, as Chris turned his head to face the pool. “Then you’ll swim like a little guppy fish and drive your parents crazy.”

 

Melanie sat in a lounge chair, hidden under the shade from the house, watching as Jim pushed the plastic float ring around with Charlotte in it. Making his way past the table and chairs, Chris stepped up to the chair that Melanie sat on and bent down to kiss her.

 

“Hey!” she smiled, slightly startled at his sudden appearance. “Did you sleep well?”

 

Chris eased down next to her, “I did,” he nodded, wrapping his arm around her waist. “How long have you two been up for?”

 

“Woke up around nine,” she shrugged. “Jim wanted to get a few laps and figured Charlotte would enjoy some pool time. It’s supposed to rain today.”

 

“Looks like a storm is heading in now,” he nodded, pointing to the grey clouds that were rolling in from the West.

 

Melanie nodded and turned to face the pool, “Jim! I think you two should call it a day!” she shouted. “Storms rolling in!”

 

Jim nodded and started towards the steps in the shallow end, “Here that?” he asked, pulling Charlotte out of the tube. “Time to go in!”

 

Charlotte squealed as Jim carried her on one hip, while holding onto the bannister. Once they were out, Jim grabbed the Minnie Mouse towel and wrapped her up.

 

“You two have a future Olympic swimmer on your hands,” Jim snorted, as he settled Charlotte down on the lounge chair that her parents sat on. “A little practice and she’ll be swimming underwater by the time she’s three!”

 

Chris wrapped his arm around his towel clad daughter, “You want to be a little mermaid?” he asked her, kissing her cheek. “Let’s get you inside and warm up.”

 

“I’ll put a pot of coffee on for you,” Melanie said, as she got up. “When you come down I’ll have a plate ready for you.”

 

Kissing him quickly on the cheek, Melanie made her way back inside the house, leaving the three of them outside to watch her leave.

 

“Man Chris,” Jim shook his head, as he went to the edge of the pool, grabbing the float out. “I wish Bones would willingly make my breakfast up for me.”

 

“Don’t you just… bat your eyelashes at him?” Chris asked, as he stood up. “Mel does it all the time to get what she wants.”

 

Jim snorted, “And do you give into it all the time?” he asked, as they started towards the house.

 

Chris winced, “Most of the time,” he admitted. “But I did tell her no when she tried to order a pair of shoes that were over eight hundred dollars.”

 

“Eight hundred dollar shoes,” Jim snorted. “For what? She doesn’t even go anywhere fancy enough for shit like that.”

 

“That’s what I told her,” Chris chuckled. “You should’ve seen the book she threw at me though. We have a dent in the wall now that’s covered by a picture frame.”

 

 

 

 

 


	18. Chapter 18

“What about this one?” Chris asked, as he held the IPad in his hands. “Four bedrooms with a full bathroom and one partial one…”

 

Melanie shrugged, “Shouldn’t we have more than four bedrooms?” she asked, looking up from her book. “I mean, we have people coming and going at our place in Manhattan.”

 

“But this is Seattle, not Manhattan,” Chris pointed out. “There’s a wet bar and a large view deck that faces Portage Bay.”

 

“That’s too far from everyone else,” she shook her head. “And you don’t need a wet bar or any bar for that matter.”

 

Chris bit back the groan, moving back to the search results that came up. “How about this one?” he asked, handing the tablet over to her.

 

Setting her book down, Melanie took the tablet and looked at the house Chris selected. “It’s a nice house but not for seven million dollars,” she shook her head, reading what was offered. “And what the hell are we going to do with seven bedrooms? How many kids do you think I’m popping out?”

 

“Six?” he shrugged, earning a gasp in return. “What? Each kid gets their own room!”

 

“You’re insane!” she shook her head. “There’s not way I’m pushing out four more babies after this one!”

 

He snorted as he took the IPad back from her, “I don’t know what you want in terms of a house, Mel. How close do you want to be from everyone?”

 

“Close enough that if anything were to happen, they could get here quickly,” she sighed. “And we need a backyard that’s a decent size for the kids, but wont require that much care.”

 

“Damn right,” Chris muttered. “I’m too old to be pushing a lawn mower around.”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “No, but you’re not too old to have four rounds of sex on your anniversary.”

 

“That, my dear, was a special occasion,” he smirked, while searching on the tablet.

 

“Special occasion,” she snorted. “Gaila was talking about a few houses that are up for sale around here yesterday.”

 

Chris set the IPad down and looked at her, “How close?” he asked. “I really don’t want to move right next door to Gaila and Scotty. I’m perfectly content with being oblivious to their sex life, Mel. I really don’t want my kids hearing them from their bedroom windows.”

 

“Speak for yourself, Christopher,” she snorted, climbing out of bed. “I’m starving, do you want anything?”

 

He shook his head, “I’m still full from breakfast,” he said, sinking further down against the pillows.

 

“More food for me then!” she yelled, pulling the door open.

 

“Don’t get too crazy!” he shouted, as she skipped down the hall. “Remember what Laura told you!”

 

…………………

 

Two days later, the Pikes found themselves looking at a few homes in the area. A friend of Janice and Christine’s offered to meet with them on such short notice, being that her relator company was the one in the process of trying to sell the homes. So they woke up bright and early, double-checking on Charlotte, before driving to the first house out of three. The first two were a bust; one required extensive remodeling while the other was simply way out of their budget. With one child and another on the way, the extra expense that came to the two homes was not compatible.

 

“This house has five bedrooms, three bathrooms,” Cassie said, as she led them through the lower level of the house. “You have your living room here,” she pointed to an open space near the front of the house.

 

“It’s a big room,” Melanie noted, as they walked.

 

Cassie nodded with a smile, “The kitchen was partially remodeled after the family moved out,” she said, as they walked into the kitchen. “Janice said that you’re a chef.”

“Yes,” Chris nodded, moving to inspect the appliances. “Who put all of this in, if the family moved out?”

 

“The family did of course,” Cassie frowned, as if her news was obvious. “From what I know, they really didn’t plan out their remodeling expenses that well and had to stop halfway.”

 

Melanie frowned, “So they up and left the place?” she asked. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“The house went into foreclosure when they stopped making payments on their mortgage. Something about a suicide in one of the bedrooms also contributed to the foreclosure.” Cassie shrugged. “Would you like to look upstairs?”

 

The couple exchanged looks, “I think we’ve seen enough for today,” Chris said, managing a forced smile. “My wife needs her rest and I think we’ve left our daughter with her Uncles long enough.”

 

Hightailing out of the house, Melanie and Chris climbed into Jim’s car and pulled away from the curb.

 

“I am not having that woman help us find a home,” Melanie shook her head.  “Do Janice and Christine realize how… brain dead that woman is?”

 

“Look, Janice and Christine were only being nice in regards to helping us find a realtor,” he held up his hand. “Just relax.”

 

Melanie sighed, “I wish we never left in the first place,” she laid her head back against the seat. “My house would’ve been perfect for us.”

 

Turning at the light, Chris turned down the residential road that Jim and Leonard lived on. “Well, now your brother and Jim live there,” he said, slowing down to make the turn into the driveway. “We can’t just kick them out because we want to move back.”

 

“We’ll never find our home here,” she whined, as he pulled into the driveway. “Our luck has run out!”

 

“You’re being dramatic,” Chris said, as he killed the engine. “We just need to figure out what we want and narrow the search results down to that. And to the price because those three houses were either overpriced or not worth the asking value.”

 

They both stepped out in the late June sunshine, making their way up the walkway to the front porch.

 

“What if we have to move somewhere outside of Washington?” Melanie asked, as Chris took the mail out of the mailbox. “I’m telling you now, Chris. I will not settle for a place that’s hotter than Texas or in the middle of nowhere.

 

Unlocking the front door, Chris turned to look at her. “Texas?” he frowned. “They do have some great restaurants there.”

 

Melanie pushed past him, stepping into the house. “No way,” she shook her head. “It’s either Washington or we move to Iceland.”

 

“But we don’t know anyone in Iceland!” he shouted, as she started up the stairs. “Dammit!”

 

……………….

“So we have a house with enough rooms for all present and future offspring’s, guests and you two,” Jim marked off the items on the piece of paper. “A big kitchen for the chef, a living room, a den and a big yard that will require hardly any upkeep.”

 

The couple nodded, “Yes,” Chris said.

 

Jim snorted, “You’ll never find anything like that at a reasonable price,” he shook his head. “You have to be super rich to get something like that.”

 

Melanie groaned, “I told you!” she shook her head, as she fed Charlotte small pieces of chicken. “We are screwed.”

 

Leonard shrugged, “I think it’ll take time to find a place,” he said. “You just have to keep looking, is all.”

 

“But I kinda want to find a place soon,” Melanie shrugged. “Maybe one that we can move in to by the end of the year.”

 

“You want to move into a house while being heavily pregnant?” Jim asked. “You’re crazy.”

 

Chris shook his head, “No, she’s actually right,” he shrugged. “To pack up and travel across country with two small kids will be a pain in the ass.”

 

“So if you find a house between now and the end of the year, buy it,” Jim said. “Then Bones and I will fly out to help you pack up most of the apartment, then we can fly back home with Charlotte.”

“And what about us?” Melanie frowned. “If you’re suggesting a road trip across country at seven months pregnant…”

 

Jim shook his head, “I’m not!” he held his hands up. “You and Chris could stay in Manhattan until you have the baby!”

 

“I’m not sending our daughter to live here without us for two months, Jim,” Chris shook his head. “We’ll figure everything out as it falls into place.”

 

“’Ones!” Charlotte squeaked, holding her hand out to Leonard. “’Ones!”

 

Leonard smiled, “Wait until you see what we got you for dessert,” he said, as she babbled to him. “Banana frozen yogurt!”

 

Jim rolled his eyes, even though he was smiling. “Your kid is very expensive in the food department,” he shook his head. “Of course you guys come to visit when bananas are at the highest price per pound!”

 

“That didn’t stop you from buyin’ four bunches though,” Leonard shook his head. “You better eat the bananas we have left over when they go home, Jim.”

 

“I’m sure Jo will eat them,” Chris shrugged, as Charlotte grabbed at the fork on the table.

 

Leonard snorted, “That’s if she ever decides to eat at home for once,” he shook his head. “This kid has been out almost every day since we got home from Florida.”

 

“She has friends, Len,” Melanie shook her head. “Just because you didn’t go out all the time when you were her age, doesn’t mean she has to do the same.”

 

“And this is where I cut in, because I don’t want to pull you two apart,” Chris said, sitting up. “Jim, could you take Charlotte and bring her into the den?”

 

Jim nodded and stood up, “I found a few of Joanna’s old Disney movies in the basement the other day,” he said, as Melanie stood from the chair. “Let’s go put one on.”

 

Once they left the dining room, Chris and Leonard went to work clearing off the table. “I know you two are trying,” Chris started, as he set the dirty dishes into the sink. “But you both need to stop egging each other on with the arguments. Especially now that she’s pregnant.”

 

“I don’t mean to!” Leonard exclaimed. “But it’s hard when you watch someone you love actin’ all strange around the goddamn dinner table! She wasn’t eatin’ a damn thing and we all know how much Mellie likes to eat!”

 

“I understand that you’re worried about her, “Chris nodded. “But I’m her husband. Do you really think I would just sit by and let her starve? She’s taking it easy on the food this time, especially so early in the pregnancy because we don’t know how bad the morning sickness will be.”

 

Leonard frowned, “Is it bad like last time?”

 

Chris shook his head, “Not at the moment,” he said. “But the doctor said to take it easy when it comes to eating.”

 

“Okay! Okay!” Leonard held up his hands. “I wont breathe down her damn neck!”

 

“Look, you can express your concerns, Len,” Chris sighed. “But you have to watch how you do it because so help me god, if you piss off my wife during this week long visit….”

 

A shout rang out from the den, followed by Melanie’s laughter, as Jim rushed down the hallway.

 

“What happened?!” Leonard shouted, as Jim stormed upstairs. “JIM!”

 

Melanie was howling with laughter, as Chris came into the den; Charlotte stood up near the coffee table, holding onto the side with her tiny hands.

  
“Sh-she,” Melanie snorted. “She peed on him!”

 

Before Chris could reply, Melanie let out a screech as she rolled on the carpet, tears rolling down her face. Charlotte pointed at her, babbling as if she were telling her to shut up.

 

“Come on, Charlie,” Chris sighed, as he made his way over to her. “Let’s go change your diaper and put on fresh pants.”

 

Stepping around his wife, Chris looked down at her and shook his head. “Get off the floor, Mel,” he said. “Before you piss _your_ pants.”

 


	19. Chapter 19

“Every thing is looking good in here,” Laura said, moving the light away from the bed. ‘You’re a bit bigger than average for thirteen weeks though.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I was thinking that too,” she frowned. “I wasn’t this big the last time with Charlotte.”

 

Pushing the medical gown up, Laura squeezed out a good amount of gel onto her belly. “Let’s take a peek,” she said, turning the screen on. “A little pressure..”

 

She winced as the wand pressed against the underside of her belly, watching as the grainy image of her uterus went on display. It was right then and there, as the image of the baby appeared, that Melanie knew something was off.

 

“Well,” Laura let out a sigh. “I guess we now know why you’re this big at thirteen weeks.”

 

Melanie pointed at the screen, “I—is that…” she started, as Laura nodded.

 

“Congratulations, Mel! You and Chris are having twins!”

 

…………

 

Chris blinked, “Twins?” he asked, almost afraid that his wife was playing a prank on him. “Y-you have twins in there?”

 

She nodded, “Fraternal Twins,” she said.

 

“Oh my god,” he closed his eyes. “I think I’m going to faint.”

 

Chris fell back into bed, as Melanie climbed in after him. “You’re going to faint?” she snorted. “What about me? I just found out that I have TWO babies floating around in my uterus!”

 

“Twins don’t run in my family!” he cried. “What the hell did we drink that put two babies into you?”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “My Aunt Elva was a twin,” she sighed. “They run in my family, Chris. And this isn’t Harry Potter, where magical drinks consumed during sex can automatically implant multiples inside a uterus!”

 

“And you didn’t think to tell me this before we started having babies?!” he exclaimed.

 

“Hey, don’t get mad at me!” she snapped. “It takes two to fucking tango, mister!”

 

Chris sighed, “I’m not mad,” he said. “Close to having a heart attack, but not mad.”

 

She laid out next to him, “Please try to relax,” she begged, taking his hand into hers. “Because by the end of today or the end of this week, it’ll finally hit me that we’re having twins and I’ll have a nervous breakdown.”

 

“Don’t say that,” he shook his head, rolling over to face her.   
  
“What are we going to do now?” she asked, biting her lip. “Now we really need to find a house. Laura was talking about the possibility of not carrying the babies to full term and all these other things that could put me on bed rest.”

 

Chris squeezed her hand, “We’ll figure it out,” he promised. “I’ll call the boys and have them look at every single house in the area that’s for sale.”

 

She groaned, “But what if they pick something that we hate?” she asked.

 

“I’ll fly out to look at them,” Chris shrugged. “For now, lets just focus on you and the babies.”

 

“I wish I could blame you entirely for this, but I can’t,” Melanie huffed. “And to think how hard I worked to lose all that weight, only to get knocked up with twins. I’m going to be a fucking Thanksgiving Day parade float!”

 

He snorted, “No you’re not,” he shook his head. “Because this time we’re going to do this right so you wont gain so much extra weight. We have _two_ babies to worry about now.”

 

Melanie sighed, “I guess we should tell the others,” she shrugged. “And we still have to tell Richard, Alice and McKayla! And I have to tell Rosette and let the office know that I’m not going to be able to do any lectures this fall.”

 

“We have plenty of time to deal with your job,” Chris assured her. “I’ll tell Rich tonight at work and maybe you and Charlie can go over to their apartment later to see how McKayla is doing.”

 

“I’ll call her a little later” Melanie yawned. “Right now, I want to sleep.”

 

Chris snorted as she turned to cuddle against him, “Sleep then,” he kissed her forehead. “I’ll stay with you until you pass out and then I’ll go put dinner together for later.”

 

As Melanie quickly fell asleep, Chris slowly untangled himself from her grasp and pulled the blanket up to cover her. Gently pushing her hair back off her face, Chris watched her for a moment as she slept. Closing the door halfway, Chris crossed the hall and stepped into Charlotte’s room to find her sitting up in the crib.

 

“Hey princess,” he whispered, as Charlotte waved at him. “Are you hungry?”

 

“Pa Pa, baba,” she mumbled, rubbing her eye.

 

Scooping her out of the crib, he cradled her to his chest and dropped a kiss onto her forehead. “I’ll put your bottle together,” he promised, as he started out of the room. “Mommy just told Daddy something really important, Charlie girl. You’re gonna be a big sister to _two_ babies.”

 

Charlotte tucked her face into his shoulder, whining gently for her bottle. “You may not care now, but you will when they come, he sighed. “Oh Charlie, Charlie. Let’s hope one of them is a girl, that way she can wear all your old clothes.”

 

………………

 

 

Chris moved to the back kitchen of the _Kobyashi Maru_ later that night as Richard and Sasha, the butcher, went over that morning’s orders.

 

“Mel’s pregnant,” he announced, startling them both. “Twins.”

 

Sasha gasped, “Oh my god!” she exclaimed, rushing over to hug him. “That’s amazing! Congrats!”

 

Richard took one look on his friend’s face and knew, “Sasha, crack out the good stuff,” he sighed. “Chris, you better take a seat before you faint and crack your head on the counter.”

 

Ten minutes and three glasses filled with whiskey later, Chris was finally speaking. “I mean, one baby we can handle,” he nodded. “But _two?_ It’s gonna be hard enough with Charlie being so young and then add two newborns into the mix.”

 

“It’s going to be tough,” Sasha nodded. “But Chris, once you get past the fact that it’s two babies at once, you’ll have a routine.”

 

At twenty-nine, Sasha had already experienced three births; one of which consisted of identical twin boys only three years previously. Her partner, Maya had been unable to conceive through insemination, which left Sasha to take on the task of having all four of their children.

 

“If you want, Maya and I could let you babysit the twins just to get a head start,” she shrugged. “Max and Tyler are way past the stage of breaking things and are actually starting be become good little boys.”

 

Richard snorted, “I’ll believe that when I see it,” he said, shaking his head. “Man, Chris. Twins! I didn’t even know that ran in your family.”

Chris picked up his glass, “It doesn’t,” he mumbled, throwing back the rest of the whiskey. “It runs in Mel’s family. Something that she forgot to tell me before we even started talking about having kids.”

 

“Maybe after this you’ll be content with having three kids,” Richard shrugged. “I mean, what are the chances that Mel will want to have another baby after carrying twins around?”

 

Sasha shrugged, “Maya and I are thinking about having another,” she said. “But we’ll have to figure out how to fit that into our future plans and our brownstone.”

 

“That’s the other thing,” Chris nodded. “We’ve been talking about moving back to Seattle for a long time now, back when she was pregnant with Charlie. We looked at a few houses a couple weeks ago..”

 

“What about Long Island?” Richard asked. “Some nice towns out there.”

 

Chris shrugged, “We really want to go back to where it all started,” he admitted. “Our families are out there and my parents shouldn’t be flying across the country every so often at their ages.”

 

“What about work?” Sasha asked, pullin the nail file out of her chef’s jacket. “Will Mel be able to teach out there?”

 

“She’s got connections to almost every university in this country and in Europe,” he snorted. “Mel will be fine in terms of work.”

 

Richard frowned, “But what about you?” he asked. “ _Yorktown’s_ been closed up since that altercation with Phil.”

 

“I guess I’ll stay home with the kids,” he shrugged. “Which is fine because I want to enjoy my time with them all before I get too old to do anything remotely fun.”

 

Sasha snorted, “Too old?” she asked. “Chris, you’re fifty-two. You look like you’re forty-five.”

 

“Does Maya know about how hard you flirt with me?” he asked, smirking. 

She rolled her eyes, “Your wife does the opposite of what most wives do,” she shook her head. “Instead of aging you to look like a walking corpse, she actually makes you look good… not that you really needed that much help to begin with.”

 

“I guess I’ll take that as a compliment,” he frowned. “It’s nice to know that someone, besides my wife, finds me attractive.”

 

Richard snorted, “Ass,” he shook his head. “Did she say if they’re identical twins?”

 

Chris stretched his arms over his head, “Fraternal,” he sighed. “Which is probably a good thing because it could be two girls, two boys or one of each.”

 

“I’m betting on two girls,” Sasha smiled. “I think it’s your destiny to be surrounded by women all the time.”

 

“It’s going to be boys,” Chris shook his head. “Two little boys!”

 

“I’m going with Sasha on this one,” Richard nodded. “Two girls.”

 

Standing up, Chris grabbed his empty glass and started towards the sink. “How about one of each?” he asked.

 

“Girls,” the duo replied in unison.

 

Richard looked down at his watch and cursed, “Shit, we need to start the prep,” he stood up. “The others should be here soon.”

  
Heading towards their designated areas, Chris grabbed his chef jacket off the hook and slipped it on. “Should we have a pool?” he asked. “Get everyone to place their bets on what they’ll be?”

 

“Why? You’re going to lose anyway, Pike,” Sasha grinned. “Mel won’t be too happy to hear that you’re betting all that money. Especially when you’re gonna need it to pay for all three of their college tuitions.”

 

Chris rolled his eyes, “Which is like… way into the future,” he scoffed.

 

Richard unlocked the side door that led out to the alley, “Doesn’t matter,” he chuckled, tossing the empty boxes out into the dumpster. “You need to start now just to pay off their first year.”

 

“They could always skip college and travel the world,” Chris offered.

 

“And Mel could beat your ass at the thought,” Richard shot back. “Face it, old man. You’ll be paying for those three long after you’re in the ground.”

 

Chris blinked and remained silent for a moment, before storming into the cooler. “DAMMIT!” he shouted, ignoring the laughter from his friends. 


	20. Chapter 20

Chris moved from the counter to the table with a plate in hand, as Charlotte wobbled near him.

 

“Pa!” she shrieked, bouncing on her feet. “Up!”

 

“In a second,” he told her, as he set the plate down on the table. “Your dinner isn’t ready yet, baby.”

 

“Up!” she cried again, her newly learned word echoing in his ears. “Up!”

 

Chris stepped around her and she followed, reaching out to grab the leg of his pants. With a sigh, Chris bent down and scooped her up into his arms.

 

“Nooo!!” she began to whimper, before bursting into tears. “Baba!”

 

“Charlotte Anne,” he shook his head, setting her down into the high chair. “You’re becoming a menace!”

 

A few seconds later, as Chris tried to strap the wiggling toddler into her chair, Melanie came out from the back of the apartment.

 

“Charlie, I can hear you from the bedroom,” she shook her head, making her way towards them. “Are you giving Daddy a hard time.”

 

Charlotte continued to cry, trying to pull at the strap around her waist. “If you don’t sit still, you’ll knock your entire chair over,” Chris sighed, pushing the tray in. “Your dinner is almost done.”

 

Melanie stood next to the high chair and wiped Charlotte’s face with the edge of her sleeve, “I’ve got her,” she said, placing her hand on the top of her head. “Finish putting her meal together and I’ll feed her.”

 

“You still have to eat too,” Chris said, moving back to the counter. “Or are you still full from lunch?”

 

“Surprisingly, I’m still full,” she shrugged. “Then again, that was a lot of food.”

 

“Mama go!” Charlotte whined, smacking her hands on the tray.

 

Melanie sat down at the table and reached for a piece of chicken that sat on the plate, “Here we go,” she said, pulling the piece apart.

 

Charlotte quickly nibbled on the small piece of chicken, calming down quickly. “So impatient,” Chris shook his head, as he pulled the tiny tray of mac and cheese out of the microwave.

 

“She’s probably fussy because of the storm,” Melanie shrugged, tearing off another piece of chicken. “You know how she gets when thunderstorms start rolling in.”

 

“Still,” Chris shook his head, as he grabbed the tiny plastic spoon off the counter. “I don’t like having her walk around in here when I’m putting food together. She could get hurt.”

 

Melanie took the tiny bowl from him and placed it down on the high chair tray, “So we’ll get a gate and put it up,” she shrugged. “Chris, she’s at the age where everything is interesting to her. Can’t keep her locked out of every room because you’re worried that she’ll fall and hurt herself.”

 

Stirring the cheesy noodles, Melanie scooped a few onto the spoon and blew on them. “Open up,” she cooed, pressing the spoon gently against Charlotte’s mouth.

 

Thunder rolled in the distance as a cool breeze came in through the window, the curtains billowing out. Charlotte continued to eat, ignoring the impeding storm at that moment, too caught up in her meal to care.

 

“I’ll remember that the next time she gets into your stuff and breaks it,” Chris said, pointing at her.

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “Charlie, you cannot wander around in the kitchen when Daddy’s cooking,” she said, scooping another spoonful up for her. “If you do then you wont have any cookies after dinner!”

 

She then turned and looked up at Chris, smiling innocently. “Is that sufficient scolding for you?” she asked. 

“Smartass,” he shook his head, moving to the refrigerator. “Real cute, Mel.”

 

“Thank you,” she sighed, wiping the cheesy remains off of Charlotte’s face. “Aren’t I cute, Charlie? You’re much cuter than me, but I’m close enough!”

 

…………..

 

“Here we go, Charlie,” Melanie said, as she stepped into the living room. “Juice?”

 

Charlotte stood on the tops of Chris’s thighs, as he held her up by the hands. “Mommy’s got your juice,” he said, as she stomped her feet lightly.

 

“Baba! Baba go!” she babbled, as he lifted her up and turned her around. “Mama go!”

 

Making her way over to them, Melanie handed the bottle over to Chris and sat down on the sofa with a sigh. “We really should try the sippy cup,” she said, as Chris held the bottle up for Charlotte.

 

“And take her precious baba away?” Chris asked, mocking horror. “Do you know what will happen if we do that?”

 

“She will throw a tantrum and eventually get over it,” Melanie yawned. “Chris, she needs to stop with the bottle. It’s going to ruin her teeth and she’ll probably be the youngest person with the most dental work in the world.”

 

Chris snorted, “We’ll try the sippy cup tomorrow,” he promised. “Just let her enjoy her bottle and hopefully she’ll start to wind down for the night.”

 

Melanie looked out the window just as a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, “Good luck with that, “she said, as the thunder cracked.

 

Immediately releasing the nipple of the bottle, Charlotte’s face began to crumple as she became agitated. Setting the bottle down next to him, Chris scooped her into his arms and cradled her to his chest.

 

“Don’t cry,” he cooed, as she began to whimper. “It’s okay!”

 

Another crack of thunder, this time louder than the previous, shook the floorboards. Charlotte began to wail, screeching and kicking as Chris tried to comfort her. Grabbing the remote off the sofa cushion, Melanie quickly turned the television on and flipped to the Disney channel.

 

“Look!” she exclaimed, turning the volume up to over shadow the thunder. “Charlie, look! It’s _Jungle Junction!”_

“It’s Zooter and Ellyvan,” Chris gasped, lifting her up to see the screen. “And there’s Bungo!”

 

Charlotte’s cries turned into whimpers as she realized what was being played on the screen, “Zoo!”

 

Chris smiled, “See? We can watch your show,” he said, setting her down on the floor so he could stand up. “Let’s go sit on the sofa with Mommy.”

 

Picking her up again, Chris stepped over to the sofa and placed her onto Melanie’s lap, before taking a seat himself.

 

“Zoo!” Charlotte squealed, holding her arms out towards the television. “Bee-Bee!”

 

“Zooter and Ellyvan are going through the jungle?” Melanie asked, while yawning. “My goodness, I wonder what they’ll get up to tonight.”

 

Charlotte was entranced as she sat on her lap, watching as the colorful characters moved about.  Outside, the storm still raged on as lightning flashed and rain slammed against the windows. But with the volume up, Charlotte was oblivious to it all and was easily comforted by the familiar sounds that filled the room.

 

“I am beat,” Chris sighed, throwing one arm behind his head. “Hopefully after this, she’ll go to bed.”

 

“Good luck with that,” Melanie sighed, turning to look at him. “We’re not getting any sleep tonight.”

 

……….

 

Melanie shifted on the exam table as Laura fiddled with the prescription pad at the counter.

 

“You need an intake of folic acid,” she rambled, scribbling on the pad. “Take one milligram a day and try to eat something healthy. I don’t want you in and out of the hospital like last time.”

 

“Yes Ma’am,” Melanie mock saluted, as Chris sat on the chair with Charlotte. “What else?”

 

Laura sighed, “You’re going to be here a lot,” she nodded. “Because you’re carrying two babies this time around, I need to monitor their growth extensively. I know we haven’t talked about the risks of a multiple pregnancy, so we need to do that now.”

 

“I don’t like that tone,” Melanie shook her head, glancing at Chris. “Usually you’re upbeat and peppy.”

 

“Well, today I realized that I need to be honest and do my job,” Laura shrugged. “I hate being a downer, but I would be violating so many medical protocols if I didn’t go over this stuff with you.”

 

Chris nodded, “Okay,” he said, slowly. “What do we need to know?”

 

Laura sat down on the stool and sighed, “Your risk of premature birth is a bit higher now, which is why I need to see you frequently. If your babies decide that they want out between before twenty-eight weeks, we’re talking extensive medical care and luck in order for them to survive.”

 

“But how likely will it be for Mel to go into labor that early?” Chris frowned.

 

“If she’s too active,” Laura nodded. “Which is why as you progress further, you’ll need to take it easy. I’m suggesting, because I can’t force you, to put your maternity leave papers in for the first day of lecture.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Okay,” she said. “What else?”

 

“Twins don’t often reach their healthy weight before birth, so I’ll be checking on this constantly everytime I do a scan,” Laura nodded. “And as for you? Strict diet this time around and light exercise. Take a walk around the block with Charlotte and some prenatal yoga.”

 

“I feel like we should be writing this down,” Chris said, looking around the room for paper. “Shouldn’t we be writing this down?”

 

Laura chuckled, “I’ll give you all the reading material before you leave,” she said. “A lot of what I’m going to tell you is the same stuff you heard when you were pregnant with Charlotte. Except this time, your at greater risk because your body is trying to handle two babies growing instead of one.”

 

‘What about delivery?” Melanie asked. “Should we start thinking about a birth plan?”

 

“Well you’re still in the first trimester,” Laura glanced down at her chart. “We’ve got plenty of time to figure out a birth plan for you, because it all depends on when you go into labor and how the babies are positioned. You might be able to deliver one baby vaginally, but then deliver the other via c-section.”

 

Melanie shook her head at the thought, “I don’t want that,” she said, turning to look at Chris. “No way!”

 

“Hon, if you have to go that route.. then that’s how it’s gonna go,” he said, shifting Charlotte on his lap. “We’re talking about the health and safety of you and the babies.”

 

Laura nodded, “I really need you to go into this with an open mind, Mel,” she nodded. “It’s a possibility that you’ll need a c-section, but we won’t know this until the last few weeks leading up to the birth and the day of.”

 

“Just relax,” Chris patted her knee. “Just worry about now and we’ll deal with everything else as time goes on.”

 

Melanie let out a shaky breath and nodded, “Is there anything else we need to worry about?” she asked.

 

“Why don’t we take a look at the babies?” she suggested. “Everything else is in the reading material that I’ll give you before you go. I don’t want to overwhelm you at once, because right now you look like you’re going to faint.”

 

She then turned to Chris and Charlotte, “How’s that sound, Charlie? Wanna see the babies in Mommy’s tummy?”

 

Charlotte babbled, “Mama!” she waved at her. “Pa, up!”

 

Melanie managed a small smile, as Laura stood up from the stool. “You can bring her closer Chris,” she nodded. “She may not understand all of it, but it’s good to get the older siblings involved this early.”

“Let’s just hope she doesn’t get jealous when they finally come,” he sighed, standing next to the exam table. “You should see how she gets when I try to give Mel a kiss!”

 

Laura slathered Melanie’s expanding belly and turned the machine on, “I can only imagine what she’s going to be like when she’s a teenager,” she shook her head, setting the wand at the base of her tummy. “God help you both if she has a crush on a boy that’s already taken by another.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Told you,” she stuck her tongue out at him. “Maybe she’ll fall in love with a boy that’s a younger and straight version of Jim.”

 

“I know where your Dad keeps his shot-gun,” Chris shook his head, as the image of their two babies came on the screen. “Charlie, look!”

 

“Here’s baby one,” Laura pointed to the screen. “And baby two. Both look good, Mel! It’s still a little early to tell what the sex is, but I would say in two or three weeks you’ll know for sure.”

 

Melanie did the math in her head, “So somewhere in the middle of month four?” she asked, as Laura nodded. “Eighteen to nineteen weeks.”

 

Laura tapped at the keyboard, taking several photos of the fetuses and marking their growth and weight measurements. “It’s a bit easier to carry fraternal twins because they have their own amniotic sacs and placentas,” Laura noted. “If you were having identical twins, they would be in the same sac and sharing the same placenta. One twin could receive more nutrients than the other which is called twin-twin transfusion.”

 

“And I’ll be able to tell the difference between the two of them,” Melanie sighed. “But with my luck, they’ll probably end up looking exactly the same.”

 

“Unless you have one boy and one girl,” Chris pointed out. “Or two boys that each have a different hair color.”

 

Laura snorted, “I’ve got a feeling that these two are girls,” she shook her head. “I just can’t picture you having boys.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Don’t burst his bubble!” she shook her head. “That’ll give him more incentive to try for a boy after this.”

“Everyone keeps saying it’s going to be girls,” Chris shook his head. “Do I have a sign on my forehead that says I’m incapable of producing a boy?”

 

“Just relax,” Melanie rolled her eyes. “We’ve got four weeks to know what you put in me this time.”

 

Chris scowled, “You always make it sound so much dirtier than it really is,” he shook his head, as Charlotte wiggled around.

 

Melanie snickered as Laura wiped her belly clean, “It is what it is, honey,” she shook her head. “Right Charlie? It is what it is!”

 

“Mama up!” Charlotte squeaked. “Up! Up!”

 

“I’m up,” Melanie sighed, as Laura helped her up off the exam table. “Are we ready to go for lunch?”

 

Laura handed her the prescription note and carried her chart to the door, “Give me two seconds to get all that reading material and I’ll let you go,” she said. “Just make an appointment for next week!”

 

As Melanie got dressed, Chris took Charlotte outside in the hallway to pick up the paperwork. Pulling on her sundress, Melanie slipped her feet back into her sandals and picked up the ultrasound photos. Looking down at them, the two little babies that grew within her at that moment, Melanie couldn’t stop the feeling of uncertainty that filled her. What was once so exciting had turned too serious, making her wonder what the next seven months would hold for them all. 


	21. Chapter 21

“So we have a bet going on here,” Leonard sighed into the phone, two weeks later. “On what you and Chris are having.”

 

Melanie groaned, “Of course,” she shook her head. “It wouldn’t be a normal pregnancy without a little bit of gambling involved. Highest bidder?”

 

“Surprisingly? Hikaru.”

 

“Hikaru?” Melanie frowned, as Charlotte moved around the living room. “Shouldn’t he be saving his money for textbooks?”

 

Leonard snorted, “That’s what I asked him and he said that five-hundred and thirty dollars is nothing.”

 

“Chris would disagree on that one,” she sighed. “What’s his bet?”

 

Joanna screeched in the background and Leonard pulled away from the phone to shout, “Sorry, they’re in the pool,” he sighed. “Uh, Hikaru thinks it’s two girls.”

 

“What do you think?” she asked, standing up to pull Charlotte away from the potted plant near the window.

 

“I say one boy and one girl,” he replied. “Because if Scotty and Gaila aren’t havin’ a boy, then it’s up to you..”

 

Melanie giggled, “It’s too bad that they’re waiting until delivery,” she led Charlotte back to the sofa. “Do they have a bet going on for their baby?”

 

Leonard snorted, “Yeah, but it’s not as big as yours,” he said. “Twins? That’s like double the winnings right there. Jim’s already put two-fifty in for us, because he agrees with me on having one of each sex.”

 

“I’m surprised _you’re_ joining in this time around,” she laughed. “Usually you frown upon behavior like this.”

 

“It was too good to pass up, Mellie.”

 

The sound of the locks turning made Charlotte screech, as she started for the door. “What in the hell?” Leonard asked, as Melanie slowly followed after her.

 

“Chris is home,” she sighed, as her husband came into view. “Charlie’s mastered the understanding that when the locks turn, that means someone’s home”

“Pa! Pa!”

 

“Hey, baby!” Chris grinned, squatting down so Charlotte could run into his arms. “Did you and Mommy have fun while Daddy worked?”

 

Melanie moved into the kitchen to finish the call, while Chris scooped the toddler up into his arms.

 

“I hope you were good for Mommy,” he kissed her cheek. “I brought banana ice cream home for you.”

 

“She was pretty good,” Melanie said, as she stepped out of the kitchen. “Ate most of her dinner and behaved during bath time.”

 

Chris nodded as he turned to look at the toddler, “I guess you can have your ice cream now,” he sighed.

 

He followed Melanie back into the kitchen, setting the bag down on the table. “I hope there’s something in there for me,” Melanie asked, smiling innocently. “I was very good tonight as well.”

 

“I might’ve brought something home for you,” he shrugged, setting Charlotte into the highchair. “I stopped to pick up frozen yogurt from that shop you adore so much.”

 

Melanie squealed as she pulled the takeout cups from the bag, “Pineapple!!” she pulled the lid off. “And you actually asked for hot fudge and candy!”

 

Chris came over to the counter and picked up the cup with Charlotte’s ice cream and grabbed a spoon out of the drawer. “Don’t get too excited,” he warned. “I’m only letting you eat half of it tonight.”

 

“Pa! “Nanas!” Charlotte whined, reaching out for him. “’Nanas!”

 

Taking a seat in front of her, Chris pulled the lid off the cup and scooped a small spoonful for her. “Here we go,” he cooed, pressing the spoon against her lips. “Yummy?”

 

Charlotte licked her lips and smacked her hands on the tray, before accepting another spoonful of her frozen treat.

 

“What did you get?” Melanie asked, taking the last cup out of the bag.

 

“Pecan toffee crunch,” he looked over at her. “Rich just got it in and it’s pretty good.”

 

Melanie came over to the table with both cups and sat down, “I’m guessing you already had some tonight?” she asked.

 

He shrugged, “I had a spoonful,” he mumbled, feeding Charlotte another spoonful of her ice cream. 

“Uh huh,” she shook her head, before shoving her spoon into her mouth. “Mmmhmmmm, yummy.”

 

“So, what did Len have to say?” he asked, wiping Charlotte’s mouth with his thumb.

 

Melanie sighed, “Everyone’s placing bets on what we’re having,” she said, earning a snort from him. “Hikaru put in five-thirty for two girls and my brother and Jim put two-fifty for one of each.”

 

“FIVE hundred and thirty dollars?!” Chris exclaimed. “Is he out of his mind?!”

 

“Apparently he thinks it’s perfectly normal,” she shrugged, setting the cover back on to her cup. “I’m going to wash up and get ready for bed.”

 

Chris nodded, “I’ll join you soon,” he said, as she set her cup into the freezer. “As soon as I get this one down for bed.”

Melanie nodded and quickly dropped a kiss onto Charlotte’s head. “Be good,” she warned, running her fingers through her curls. “See you in a bit.”

 

“All done?” Chris asked Charlotte, as Melanie went down the hall. “We’ll save the rest tomorrow.”

 

“Pa no!” Charlotte whined, as he stood up to put both her ice cream and his into the freezer. “ “Nanas!!!”

 

Chris made his way back over to her and unbuckled her from the high chair, pulling her out and cradling her close to his body. “Tomorrow,” he kissed her cheek. “Let’s get you ready for bed.”

 

………………..

 

As July melted into August, the temperature soared to record breaking heights and the sweet relief of rain followed behind. Melanie and the twins continued to grow each day, made ever so apparent on both the scale and on the ultrasound screen. House hunting via-internet and through videos from her brother and Jim began, as the couple tried to find the perfect home for their family.

 

“So we like the house with the pool,” Chris said, as he wrote the address down on a piece of paper. “Do we like the other one with the deck attached to the master bedroom?”

 

Melanie shrugged, “Put it down as a potential, but I really don’t know how I feel with all the fireplaces.”

 

“A lot of these houses need a lot of work, “Chris sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Should we even bother looking at a house that’ll end up costing us a fortune?”

 

She groaned, resting her hands against her belly. “I say we get the house that’s right across the street from Scotty and Gaila,” she said. “It looks so cute.”

 

“It’s also too small for us,” he pointed out. “Three bedrooms? We’re going to need more than three for guests and if the twins decide that they want their own rooms when they’re older.”

 

Melanie cursed, “I hate house hunting,” she pouted. “We could always live with Len and Jim until we can find someplace to move into.”

 

Chris pulled the glasses off and set them down on the table, “As much as I enjoy their company, I really don’t want to spend more than a week with them,” he shook his head. “Between two babies and hearing the two of them have sex? No thanks.”

 

“What about California?” she asked. “We could look at places by your parents or somewhere close by.”

 

“San Bernardino and San Francisco is a long commute,” Chris sighed. “If we move to California, ideally I would want to live close to Mom and Dad. But if I were to apply to any top quality restaurants or at Starfleet Culinary… I would have to spend the entire week in San Fran and then come home on the weekends. I’d never see you guys!”

 

Callie meowed from her spot on the floor, “I didn’t know you were applying to Starfleet,” Melanie frowned, as she stood up to feed the cat. “You never said anything about teaching.”

 

He shrugged, “I figured if I can’t find a spot as head or sous chef, then maybe I could teach,” he said. “I’m an alumni and I know people who could get me a place there.”

 

“Are you sure you want to teach though?” she asked. “Kids can be real nasty these days.”

 

“What? Are you afraid I might stab someone?” he grinned, earning a scoff in response. “Teaching how to cook is something I’m good at, Mel. I taught everyone at _Yorktown_ how to cook and master their skills.”

 

He then pushed the chair back and held out his hand, to which Melanie took. “We’ll figure it out,” he said, as she sat down on his lap. “I’ll send these addresses out to Len and get the information from the relators and see about flying out soon to look at them.”

 

Melanie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and sighed, “If we don’t find a house before Thanksgiving, then we should just call off the search until next spring,” she said. “I don’t want to feel this pressure to find the perfect place and end up hating it.”

 

“Who knows,” he shrugged. “Maybe one of these on the list will end up being our new home.”

 

“I hope so,” she muttered. “Wanna take a nap?”

 

Chris chuckled, “Tired?” he asked, as she rested her head against his shoulder. “I could use a nap.”

 

“It’s just a nap,” she warned. “Not a free pass to fool around.”

 

Shutting the laptop with one hand, Chris patted her hip with the other. “You’re too tired to do any fooling around,” he said, as Melanie stood up. “Let’s go before Charlie wakes up.”

 

They moved as quickly as possible, afraid that each step would somehow trigger the sleeping toddler into consciousness after hours or wrestling her down for a nap. Once they slipped under the cool sheets, their heads nestled onto fluffy pillows; it didn’t take long for either one of them to fall asleep.

 

…………..

 

Melanie shifted against the exam table, one hand behind her head, while the other rested against the curve of her belly.

 

“And where’s the lovely Charlotte today?” Laura asked, as she pushed the medical gown up.

 

“We handed her over to Aunt Alice today,” she smiled. “Figured that since we’re finding out the sex, we might as well go on ahead and put the registry together.”

 

Chris nodded, “Bringing Charlotte to the store is deadly,” he sighed. “As soon as she see’s something, she automatically wants it.”

 

Laura snorted as she squeezed the gel out onto Melanie’s mid-section, “Sounds oddly familiar,” she noted.

 

Melanie scowled as Chris laughed, “Can we find out what’s inside?” she asked. “I don’t appreciate the teasing.”

 

“Yes, yes,” Laura sighed, grabbing the wand off the hook. “Let’s see how many people are going to become very rich by the end of today.”

 

It took several seconds to get the image of both babies onto the screen, as Laura fiddled around with the computer and the wand.

 

“Okay,” she announced, zeroing in on one baby. “Ready?”

 

Melanie and Chris nodded, “Ready!” Melanie smiled.

 

“This one here,” Laura pointed to one baby, squinting at the screen. “Is a girl.”

 

“Shit, they’re all going to win the bet,” Chris chuckled, as Laura tried to look for the sex of the second twin.

 

Laura frowned, “This one is being a little testy today,” she shook her head. “Let’s see if I can get it this way…”

  
Moving the wand around against Melanie’s stomach, Laura tried to get a clear image of the second baby’s genitals. After a few minutes, she let out a huff and shook her head.

 

“The little one doesn’t want to spread ‘em,” she shook her head. “Camera shy.”

 

“But one’s definitely a girl?” Melanie asked, glancing away from the screen to look at Laura.

 

The doctor nodded and pointed to the screen, “She’s basically flashing us right now,” Laura snickered. “See here? This is the labia.”

 

Melanie squinted, “Well..” she sighed. “Very interesting.”

 

Setting the photos to print, Laura cleaned the wand off before setting it back on the hook. “We still need to schedule the amino soon,” she noted, grabbing the pictures out of the printer. “I want you to read the material I gave you, so you know the heightened risks this time around.”

 

“What if we decided not to do it?” Chris asked, as he took the pictures from her.

 

“I would say that you’re crazy,” Laura shrugged. “But in the end, it’s up to both of you.”

 

Melanie nodded, “We’ll discuss it later tonight,” she said, giving her a smile. “Anything else before we go?”

 

Laura smiled, “Start thinking of names,” she said, standing up. “I’ll see you guys next week.”

 

As the door closed behind her, Chris and Melanie turned to look at each other. “Another girl,” Melanie smiled. “That pool is going to be fought over like crazy now.”

 

“Unless Hikaru wins the entire thing,” Chris snickered, standing up. “Because if the other one is a boy, that pool is being split between four people.”

 

Melanie took her dress off the back of the chair and slipped it over her head, “Maybe they’ll learn that gambling isn’t a great idea,” she snorted. “Ready to go?”

 

Chris nodded and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, “I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” she beamed, standing up on her toes to kiss him. “Let’s go shop.”

 

 


	22. Chapter 22

“It’s too hot to even move,” Melanie groaned, as she laid out across the bed. “I can feel the heat coming through the walls.”

 

Chris snorted, turning the air conditioner up to full blast. “Maybe you should put shorts on instead of walking around in pants.”

 

She groaned, “My legs look fat,” she pouted. “Everything’s fat. My ass, my feet. Even my shoulders are fat.”

 

“You’re not fat,” he shook his head. “Just put some clothes on that will make you feel comfortable and relax for a while. I’ll go see what Charlie’s doing and then we’ll come in here and watch a movie or take a much needed nap.”

 

Melanie nodded and held up her hand, “I need a boost,” she huffed. “I’ve been weakened.”

 

Grabbing her hand, Chris gently pulled her up into a sitting position and shook his head. “I’ll bring you a nice cold glass of water,” he promised. “Go change.”

 

Moving in different directions, Chris headed towards the door and pulled it open, only to stop and gasp.   
  
“What’s wrong?” Melanie asked, as she dug through the dresser drawers.

 

“Charlotte Anne,” Chris started, as the toddler stood in the hallway. “What are you doing?”

 

The little girl beamed and made her way towards him, “Pa! Baba!” she demanded, grabbing onto the leg of his sweatpants. “Baba! Baba!”

 

Melanie gasped, “What happened to your clothes?” she asked, as the toddler bounced on her toes. “I thought we were done with streaking?”

 

“I guess she was too hot?” Chris shrugged, turning to look at Melanie. “I’ll put a diaper on her and see about pinning this hair back.”

 

“This kid is a troublemaker,” Melanie shook her head, as she continued her trek to the bathroom.

 

Chris bent forward and turned Charlotte around and led her across the hall to her room, “Diaper and then you’ll get your baba,” he said, picking her up to set her on the changing table. “No more streaking, little girl.”

 

…………….

 

The food on barbeque sizzled, as Richard guarded it with his life. Charlotte babbled as Chris held her in his arms, pointing to the flowerpots that Alice had put together earlier in the year.

 

“See the flowers?” he asked, pointing to the perennials. “Aunt Alice put those in the pretty green pot and she waters them.”

 

“Bew!” Charlotte pointed. “Bew!”

 

Chris nodded, “That’s right! They’re blue!” he said, as she squealed. “They match your pretty dress that Mommy put on you this morning.”

 

“Expanding the vocabulary?” Richard asked, looking back at them.

 

“Either she picks up certain words that Mel and I use,” Chris shifted the toddler from one arm to the other. “Or we say what the thing is when she points to it.”

 

Charlotte turned her head and watched, in a trance, as Richard turned the pieces of chicken on the grill. “ “icken!” she screeched. “Pa! “icken!”

 

“Uncle Richard is making chicken for you,” he nodded, as she squealed and babbled. “Let’s go see Mommy and McKayla inside.”

 

Stepping back into the apartment, Chris made his way through the living room and towards the kitchen, where the ladies prepared the rest of the food.

 

“Mom, I’m fine!” McKayla shouted, as Alice tried to help her to the table. “I can walk!”

 

“Uh oh,” Chris whispered, as McKayla and Alice bickered. “Think you can pull a cute face and make them smile?”

 

As they made their way into the kitchen, the tension could be cut with a knife. Melanie sat at the counter, a bowl of pretzels before her, watching the stare down between Alice and McKayla.

 

“Ladies,” Chris cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Miss Charlie was curious to see what you were all doing. Right Charlie?”

 

Charlotte grinned at them, waving her hand while doing so. “Mama! Mama!”

 

“Hi baby,” Melanie waved. “Did you show Aunt Alice and McKayla your teeth? The dentist said there were the best teeth he’s ever seen for someone your age!”

 

“Her second dentist appointment already?” Alice gasped, as Chris moved closer to the counter. “How was she?”

 

Chris shrugged, “A little whiney when we got her in the chair,” he sat her down on the edge of the counter. “Started crying when they took a look at her teeth, but Mel sat with her the entire time.”

 

“You poor thing,” Alice reached out, tickling her fingers along Charlotte’s back. “Just wait until they start doing the x-rays and cleanings.”

 

“Pa! Baba!” Charlotte whined, wiggling in his arms. “Baba! Baba!”

  
Melanie stood up from the stool and made her way over to the refrigerator. “Here’s your juice,” she said, taking the bottle off the shelf. “It’s too hot for formula today.”

 

Taking the bottle, Chris held it up so Charlotte could see, before taking a seat on the stool. ‘Here we go,” he said, sitting her on his lap. “Juice.”

 

As Charlotte sucked down the apple juice, the ladies went back to work, the previous tension put aside for the time being. “So, did you guys decide on the amino?” Alice asked.

 

“We did,” Melanie nodded. “We’ve decided not to get it done.”

 

Chris nodded, “It’s just too risky, especially with multiples,” he said. “So we’re not doing it this time.”

 

“Didn’t you get one done for Charlotte?” Alice asked, as the toddler leaned against Chris as she drank from her bottle.

 

“We did,” Melanie nodded, breaking a pretzel in half. “And I really don’t want to go through that again. I was violently ill afterwards at the idea of having a miscarriage.”

 

 

Chris nodded, “So instead we’re just going to play it by ear and whatever happens, happens.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I don’t want any stress,” she sighed. “Though dealing with this one and the return of streaking,…”

 

Alice snorted, “It’s hot,” she shrugged. “If I could get away with streaking, I’d do it.”

 

“Ugh, MOM!” McKayla groaned, shaking her head. “So embarrassing.”

 

The sliding door opened and closed, as the smell of cooked food filtered through the apartment. “Food’s ready!” he called out, before stepping into the kitchen.

 

“Let’s get you in your highchair,” Chris said, standing up from the stool. “Time to eat your chicken.”

 

…………..

 

“This baby doesn’t want us to see its junk,” Melanie shook her head, as she and Chris pushed the stroller down the sidewalk. “This is getting crazy!”

 

August flew by quickly in a blink of an eye, as the first week of September rolled around. At twenty weeks, it was obvious that Melanie was pregnant to those who walked past her in the streets.

 

“At least we found out the due date,” Chris shrugged. “February second. Early Valentine’s for us.”

 

“That’s if they decide to stay in there long enough,” she pouted, as Charlotte squealed from the stroller. “I’m hungry.”

 

Chris snorted as they reached the market, “Good thing we’re here then,” he said, as they switched positions. “What do you want for dinner?”

 

“Hmmmm, chicken,” she nodded. “And cheesy mashed potatoes! Oh, and garlic bread!”

 

Pushing the wagon into the store, Melanie took Charlotte out of the stroller and set her into the seat, before tossing her bag in next to her. “What do you want?” Chris asked, as Charlotte babbled. “Or do you not care, as long as you’re eating?”

 

Melanie closed the stroller up and handed it to him, “I think she’ll eat whatever you make her,” she shrugged, as he set the stroller into the wagon. “Because she eats whatever you make. Right Charlie?”

 

Charlotte squealed as Melanie tickled her, “Pa! Pa! “Nanas!”

 

“Yes,” Chris sighed, as they started into the market. “I will get your bananas!”

 

“Maybe we should try something other than bananas,” Melanie suggested, eyeing the cartons of strawberries. “Do you think she’ll like strawberries?”

 

Chris snorted, “Remember when we tried to get her to eat a mango?” he asked, as she placed the strawberries into the wagon. “Bananas will forever be her favorite.”

 

“Hmmm, doesn’t hurt to try,” she said. “I’ll get her bananas, you the celery and that yummy cheese spread stuff.”

 

“Yes Ma’am,” he nodded, as Melanie started towards the other end of the produce department. “Come on, Charlie. Let’s get Mommy’s snack.”

 

…………

 

Later that night, after a home cooked meal and playing with the baby, Melanie retired early for bed. A quick shower and taking her nightly regiment of vitamins, Melanie slipped under the sheets and heavy comforter and fell asleep within seconds. What happened after left both her and Christopher confused and slightly horrified.

 

It was a little after ten, as Chris played with Charlotte in the living room, when Melanie started screaming from the bedroom. Instantly, Charlotte began to cry, as Chris scrambled off the floor and ran down the hall to the bedroom.

 

“MEL?!”

 

Pushing the door open, Chris found his wife thrashing around under the blankets, screaming and crying. Fearing the worst, Chris quickly threw the lights on and jumped onto his side of the bed, taking old of her shoulders to keep her from falling off the bed.

 

“Mel? Wake up!” he shouted, as she continued to scream. “Melanie!”

 

Letting out a shuddery gasp, Melanie finally broke out of her fit and opened her eyes. “C-Chris?” she gasped, as he smoothed her hair off her face.

 

“What happened?” he asked, as she breathed heavily. “Are you in pain?”

 

She shook her head, “Oh god, it was awful,” she sobbed, as Chris pulled the blankets down.

 

Charlotte continued to wail from the living room and Chris cursed, “G-go get her,” Melanie nodded. “Please?”

 

With a short nod, Chris quickly kissed her forehead and climbed off the bed, rushing back down the hallway to the living room.

 

“Shhh, I’m sorry,” Melanie heard, as Chris came back into the room with Charlotte. “I didn’t mean to leave you there.”

 

Melanie sat up slowly and held her arms out, “Here we go,” Chris said, as he set the toddler into her arms. “Give Mommy as kiss, Charlie.”

 

As soon as the toddler was in her arms, Melanie held her tightly, smothering her face with kisses; burying her nose into her chestnut curls, Melanie breathed in and smelled the lilac soap and baby powder.

 

“What happened, Mel?” Chris asked, placing his hand on her back.

 

“I was having a nightmare,” Melanie whispered, as Charlotte’s cries turned into faint whimpers. “I was having the babies and they…” she stopped, shaking her head.

 

Chris scooted closer to her, “Shhh,” he kissed the side of her head. “Don’t cry.”

 

“They were dead,” she wailed. “Th-they were so little, Chris. Like they weren’t r-r-ready to be born.”

 

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side, “It was just a nightmare,” he told her, as she sobbed. “The babies will be fine and they’ll come when they’re big and ready to.”

 

She sniffled, “P-promise?”

 

“I can’t promise,” he said, earning a groan in return. “But how about a “we’ll do everything we can,” to keep those babies in there?”

 

Charlotte wiggled in Melanie’s arms, whining in protest to be put down. “How about I make you some tea?” he asked, wiping his thumb against her cheek. “I’ll leave Charlie in here to keep you company.”

 

Melanie nodded, “It’s going to be alright, Mel,” Chris nodded. “Nothing’s going to happen to you or to the babies.”

  
“Okay,” she whispered, wiping her eyes. “Charlie? You wanna give Mommy a hug?”

 

The toddler wiggled in her arms, growing frustrated, as Melanie kissed her cheek. “Here,” she moved her onto the mattress next to her. “Sit next to Mommy and hold her hand.”

 

Chris got up from the bed and started towards the door, “I’ll be right back,” he said, looking back at them as he stood by the door.

 

When he was sure that they would be fine by themselves for a few minutes, Chris made his way down the hall and into the kitchen, grabbing the kettle off the stove. Turning the faucet on, Chris set the pot under the stream of cold water and watched as it filled. Once the stovetop was on, the kettle placed on the burner, Chris stood against the counter and rubbed at his eyes. The look of fear on his wife’s face as she screamed, trapped in the confines of her nightmare, shook him to the core. The kettle whistled a few minutes later, breaking him from his thoughts.  Grabbing a cup from the cabinet, Chris filled it with water and dropped a teabag in.

 

As he carried the cup back down the hallway, he could only hope that the remainder of this pregnancy would be smooth sailing.

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

n the days following Melanie’s nightmare, the expectant mother hardly slept. Most nights were spent with her sitting up in bed, reading or planning Charlotte’s upcoming birthday party. A few hours of broken sleep followed and she was up at the crack of dawn, either starting the day’s worth of chores or laying in bed staring at the window or ceiling. Chris was worried, watching as she went through an entire day, dragging herself to and from doctor’s visits or to the grocery store each Sunday.

 

“I just don’t know what do to,” Chris said, talking to Nyota on the phone. “I can’t drug her because she’s pregnant and I can’t stay up all night to make sure she sleeps.”

 

“What about tiring her out?” Nyota asked. “Take Charlotte to the park and walk around with her for a while! The exercise alone will make her exhausted.”

 

Chris sighed, peeking out into the living room, as Charlotte wandered around with her stuffed Mickey and Minnie doll. “I’ll try,” he said. “But eventually she wont be able to do that, with the weather changing and getting further into her pregnancy. Laura already suggested that she slow down for the time being.”

 

“Do you want me to talk to her?” Nyota asked. “I know Spock and I are flying out this weekend to see some vendors for the bakery, but we’ll have plenty of free time to see you guys.”

 

“I think she would love that,” he admitted. “There’s only so much I can say to her, to make her better. Her anxiety is just out of control this time around.”

 

Nyota sighed in sympathy, “I’ll pick up some aromatherapy stuff for her at the shop Spock goes to,” she said. “I can always get Spock to talk her into meditating as well. It’s actually calming if you really let your guard down and relax.”

 

“Pa Pa!” Charlotte whined, teetering towards him. “Baba!”

 

“In a minute,” he said to Charlotte, before turning back to the phone. “At this rate, I am willing to try _anything_ to get her mind off the nightmares. She’s had two more since the first one and I’m really scared that she’ll put herself in the hospital.”

 

“You have to be strong for her, Chris,” Nyota said. “There’s only so much you can do to help her, before she turns and snaps at you for hovering.”

 

Chris sighed, “It’ll get better,” she promised. “Just have patience with her and it’ll all work out.”

 

“PA! BABA!” Charlotte screeched, throwing her Mickey doll at him. “GO!”

 

Nyota snickered, “I’ll let you go,” she said. “Spock and I are going out for dinner in a half an hour and I have to get ready.”

 

“I’m sorry for keeping you!” he shook his head.

 

“Hey, I’m here if you guys need to talk,” she said. “Both of us are, Chris. You’re family and we love you, so don’t hesitate to call if you need anything or if you just want to talk.”

 

Chris let out a deep sigh, “Thank you, Nyota.”

 

“You’re welcome, Chris,” she chuckled. “Give Mel and Charlie a hug and kiss for us. I’ll call you guys later or tomorrow morning.”

 

After saying their goodbyes, Chris set the phone down on the counter and bent down to pick Mickey off the floor. “You  Missy,” he pointed at Charlotte. “Are getting out of hand with the demands.”

Charlotte frowned, looking all too much like Melanie when she was angry, which made him shudder. “Come on, grumpy,” he said, holding his arms out. “Let’s get your baba.”

 

…………

 

  
“What kind of party do you want, Charlie?” Melanie asked, skimming the party designs on her IPad. “Do we want princesses or a Mickey and Minnie Mouse party?”

 

Charlotte held her Belle Barbie by her hair, slamming the plastic body up and down on the bed. “Mama, ‘elle!”

 

“Princesses?” she asked, nodding. “Okay, we’ll do princesses again. How about… Sleeping Beauty?”

 

“What’s going on in here?” Chris asked, carrying a tray into the bedroom. “Charlie, what are you doing to Belle?”

 

Melanie sighed, “She’s rearranging her organs,” she muttered. “What princess theme should we have for her party? Last year was Belle.”

 

Chris set the tray down on the bed and shrugged, “Mulan?” he asked. “I made you some lunch.”

 

“I don’t think Charlie’s seen Mulan yet,” she frowned, setting the tablet down on her lap. “How about… Princess and the Frog?”

 

“What about the girl with the long hair?” he asked, as Melanie took the plate of grilled cheese. “With the lizard pet?”

 

“Tangled?” she asked. “Charlie, do you want a Rapunzel party?”

 

Charlotte crawled over to Chris, reaching for the carrots on the plate. “No, no,” Chris picked the smaller dish up. “You can’t eat these.”

 

“No!” Charlotte screeched. “NO!”

 

“Daddy said you can’t eat them,” Melanie shook her head. “Come here and I’ll give you a piece of my sandwich.”

 

Chris moved around the bed and set the tray down on the nightstand, picking up the empty mug and plate from earlier. “Did you take a nap?” he asked, as Melanie ate quietly.

 

She shook her head, “I’ve been trying to figure out what to get for her party,” she said, holding out a small piece of grilled cheese for the toddler. “I already ordered her balloons and Nyota said she would make her cake when she got here.”

 

“Maybe you should take a nap,” he suggested, earning a groan from her. “Just for an hour or two. I’ll finish writing out her invitations and drop them off if I take Charlie for a walk later or tomorrow morning.”

 

“I don’t need to sleep,” Melanie protested, taking a sip of her iced tea. “I have so much that needs to be done for her party next month.”

 

Chris placed his hand on her shoulder, “And we will get all those plans done,” he promised. “You need to rest, Mel. You know what Laura said about you not sleeping.”

 

“Mama!” Charlotte whined, rubbing her eye with a closed fist, reaching out with her other hand.

 

“Charlie looks like she’s ready for a nap,” Chris pointed out. “She could stay in here and keep you company.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Oh, so I could scare her? What if I wake up screaming and kicking and accidently hit her?” she asked.

 

“Look, what if I stayed in here as well?” he asked. “Would you then take a nap?”

 

She shrugged, “If you don’t take a nap, you’ll eventually pass out from exhaustion and end up in the hospital,” he shook his head. “Do you want that?”

 

“No,” she whispered, looking down at her plate.

 

Chris sighed, “I know you’re worried and afraid to close your eyes,” he said. “But I need you to get some sleep, Mel. This isn’t good for you and it’s not good for the babies.”

 

She nodded, “Fine,” she huffed, picking up the plate. “I’ll take a nap.”

 

“Thank you,” he sighed in relief, putting the plate back onto the tray. “I’ll put this in the refrigerator so you can eat it later and then I’ll come back.”

 

Melanie nodded, setting the tablet onto the table, before shaking the crumbs off the blanket. “You wanna lay down with Mommy?” she asked, as Charlotte stood on the bed. “Go sleepies?”

 

Chris carried the dishes into the kitchen, setting the food back into the refrigerator, before checking the locks on the front door. Once he was sure that everything was in it’s rightful spot and the apartment was locked up, he made his way back into the bedroom.

 

“Let’s take a nap with Mommy,” he said, pulling the blankets on his side of the bed back. “Hold Belle.”

 

Setting the wrecked Barbie doll in Charlottes arms, Chris pulled a pillow off his side of the bed and laid it between himself and Melanie. Setting Charlotte down, he pulled the blanket up and tucked her in.

 

“Comfortable?” he asked, sliding under the blanket.

 

Melanie nodded, “As comfortable as I’ll ever be at this rate,” she grumbled, laying her head down.

 

After a few minutes of shifting around, Melanie closed her eyes and allowed her body to relax. Chris, wide awake, watched as her breathing evened out, before the tall-tell signs of being asleep were obvious. He then looked down at Charlotte and smiled, for she too was asleep; her doll left at her side in abandonment. Leaning down, Chris gently kissed the toddler on the forehead and pulled the blanket up a little higher to cover her. As the sunlight filtered through the curtains, Chris quietly laid in bed and watched as both of his girls slept on that sunny fall afternoon.

 


	24. Chapter 24

“So Len, Jim and Jo are flying out October third and flying back on the seventh?” Nyota asked, as she doodled a sketch of a cake on a piece of scrap paper. “Who else is coming to the party?”

 

Melanie set the plate of cheese and crackers on the table and moved back to the counter, “Gaila and Scotty were going to come, but Gaila’s been banned from flying by her doctor. He doesn’t think she’ll be able to make it on the plane without throwing up all over herself.”

 

Nyota pouted, “That’s no fun!”

 

“I know,” Melanie sighed. “Hikaru’s got classes and clinic duty, so he’s out. Pavel’s flying in and crashing a friend’s place somewhere in Brooklyn. My Dad, Chris’s Parents, Alice, Richard and McKayla.”

 

“How big of a cake should I make?” Nyota asked.

 

“Enough to feed an entire army?” Melanie shrugged. “We can also get cupcakes from the store and cookies.”

 

Nyota nodded as she wrote, “Let me figure out what kind of cake to make, that way everyone is satisfied with what they like and that all allergies are accounted for.”

 

“Good thinking, “Melanie nodded, as Charlotte’s cries came through on the baby monitor. “Let me go get the princess and we can eat!”

 

Once Charlotte was brought out from her room, Nyota and Melanie sat at the table and ate a small lunch as she wandered around the apartment.

 

“So Spock and I will fly out that Wednesday and Sunday night,” Nyota said, taking a sip of her water. “We’re supposed to be moving into our new condo the next day.”

 

“Ugh, don’t remind me about moving,” she shook her head. “We’re still trying to find a house that’ll be big enough for the four of us AND to house our guests or any future children we plan on having after this.”

 

“You could always turn the basement into a playroom and den,” Nyota shrugged. “That way you could use an extra room on the first floor and turn it into a bedroom.”

 

Charlotte scurried into the kitchen, clutching her Minnie doll. “Ny!” she screeched, tugging on Nyota’s sweater. “Up!”

 

Nyota pushed her chair back and reached down, scooping Charlotte up and placing her on her lap. “You want a piece of cheese?” she asked, breaking off a chuck of cheddar cheese. “Yum yum.”

 

Nibbling on the offering, Charlotte sat quietly and ate, leaving the adults to talk more. “I just want to find a house that’s all us,” Melanie sighed. “Jim and Len have gone to all these open houses for us in Beacon Hill, sending photos and video. But nothing stands out on any of them, which sucks because we want to move back to _that_ town.”

 

“It’s out there,” Nyota nodded. “When you least expect it, a house will pop up and it’ll be the one.”

 

“I hope so,” Melanie shook her head. “Let’s finish up and bring her into the living room. Chris and Spock should be back soon and I’m sure they’ll want our undivided attention about this market they went to.”

 

………..

 

“You guys found a place in Ontario?” Chris asked, as he and Spock walked down the sidewalk. “Jesus, that was fast.”

  
“It was a difficult choice,” Spock nodded briefly. “But Nyota was very keen on buying this one over all others, simply because it had an adequate kitchen space.”

 

Chris snorted, “That’s Nyota for ya,” he shook his head. “Mel and I still can’t find a house in Seattle.”

 

“May I suggest that you look in another city?” Spock asked. “Or simply another town that is outside of your original place of residence.”

They waited at the corner for the light to change, taxi’s, cars and trucks speeding by before the gridlock that would be sure to occur. “That’s the thing,” Chris sighed. “Mel wants to be close to her brother and Jim, god forbid we had an emergency,” he said. “That and she wants to be close to her family, which I don’t blame her for, because I want that too.”

 

“Did you both come to terms as to what you want in a home?”

 

“Kinda,” Chris shrugged. “Not really, no.”

 

“Then that is your problem,” Spock stated. “In order to find a suitable place of residence, both homeowners must come to terms as to what they want. Or as Nyota puts it, what is “pleasing” to the eye.”

 

Chris snorted, “Mel just wants enough space so that when the kids are all old enough to fight with one another, she can keep them separated,” he said. “And she wants her own office again, since she’s had to split her’s with Charlie’s nursery.”

 

The light turned red and the walk sign went on, to which Chris and Spock quickly moved across the street before the sudden change.

 

“Perhaps you and Melanie should sit down and make a decision,” Spock continued. “Otherwise, I believe, you will not find a home that will please you.”

 

Chris sighed, “Did you and Nyota agree on everything that you wanted in a home?” he asked.

 

“I simply had no say in the matter when it came to purchasing our home,” Spock said, a small smirk fighting to grace his face. “Nyota made a logical choice in picking out the place that will be our home for the undetermined future.”

 

“God, if only Mel were like that,” Chris shook his head. “Think I can get Ny to talk her into changing her demands?”

 

………….

 

Melanie set her engagement ring and wedding band down on the jewelry dish and pulled the blankets back on the bed.

 

“Did you see the look Spock was giving Nyota earlier?” she asked, climbing into bed. “When you both came home and we were playing with Charlie?”

 

Chris looked up from his book and frowned, “What look?” he asked, as she settled into bed next to him.

 

“The one that totally screamed, “I want to bone my girlfriend and make a baby,” look,” she huffed. “How could you NOT see that look?”

 

“Oh Jesus,” Chris snorted. “I’m sure that wasn’t the look Spock was giving her. Spock doesn’t really wear his emotions on his face like you do.”

 

Melanie elbowed him, “I do not!” she shook her head, curling up next to him. “Anyways, I bet you there going at it now.”

 

“Melanie..” Chris warned, earning a giggle in return. “Please don’t talk about them having sex. I don’t like it when you do that.”

 

She yawned, “As long as they keep it down,” she mumbled. “Don’t want the baby to wake up.”

 

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders, balancing the book on his knee. “How did the meditation thing go?” he asked, as she yawned again. “I’m guessing it worked?”

 

“It’s like mind control,” she slurred, pressing her face against his side. “Emotionally draining.”

 

“But is it helping?” he asked. “I know you guys started three days ago, but do you feel like some of the stress has been relieved from you?”

 

Melanie nodded, “A little,” she yawned. “Hmmm, it makes me _really_ sleepy.”

 

Placing the book down on his lap, Chris pulled the blankets up with his other hand and smoothed them over her belly. “Spock and Nyota have their meeting tomorrow,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Maybe you, me and the baby can go out for the morning? Pick up the party supplies and put the balloon orders in, before it gets too late.”

 

“Sounds good,” she sighed deeply. “I have to call Daddy and Len tomorrow and tell ‘em not to get crazy with her presents.”

 

“You know they won’t listen,” he snorted. “Charlie’ll get more than what’s normal for a two year old between her birthday and Christmas.”

 

Melanie groaned, stretching her legs out under the heavy blanket. “More shit to pack when we eventually move,” she yawned. “ ‘Mtired.”

 

“Then go to sleep,” he said gently. “I’ll make you breakfast and we’ll spend the day together.”

 

“Kay,” she sighed happily, burying her face against his shirt. “Love you.”

 

“Love you, too,” he whispered, kissing her forehead again.

 

……….

 

Chris shoved the shopping bag in the undercarriage of the stroller, while Melanie checked her cellphone for messages. “Easy!” she yelped, as he shoved the bag of decorations next to the diaper bag. “You’ll crush them!”

 

“Then take this damn bag out!” he yelled, yanking the diaper bag out. “Hang it over the handle bar!”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes and took the bag from him, doing what he said. “Happy?” she asked, as he stood up with a nod. “You know, we’re supposed to be having a _fun_ day out and you’re being grumpy.”

 

“I just paid fifty bucks for balloons,” he stared at her. “Balloons that will either deflate or will be slashed by the time the sun comes up the day after the party.”

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, “The Mylar ones we can save for her baby book,” she said. “It’s her birthday party and it’s the last one she’s going to have as an only child.”

 

“But!” he started, before she placed her finger against his lips.

 

“No,” she shook her head. “This was the worst part of the shopping trip.”

 

Chris scowled, “Promise?” he asked, as she pulled the stroller away from the door of the party supply shop.

 

“I promise,” she nodded, standing on her toes to kiss him. “Now,” she said, pulling away. “Let’s go get the rest of the stuff!”

 

Turning the stroller around, Chris pulled the door to the store open, as Melanie pushed it into the store.

 

“Okay Charlie,” Melanie sighed, as she pulled the top of the stroller back. “What kind of princess do you want?”

 

Twenty minutes and a one sided debate between Charlotte and Melanie, the couple carried enough paper products and goodies up to the register.

 

“Last year was Belle,” Chris mumbled, as he paid the cashier. “This year is Sleeping Beauty. What’s next year?”

 

Melanie took the shopping bags and stuck them under the stroller, “Thank you,” she smiled at the girl, taking the receipt, before turning to follow Chris out of the store. “Maybe Tiana? Charlie and Auntie Ny watched that yesterday and liked it very much.”

 

“Which one is that again?” he asked, as they stepped out onto the sidewalk. “Is that the one with the frog?”

 

She nodded, “Or we can do Snow White!” she exclaimed. “I can put a little red bow in her hair and dress her up like Snow!”

 

“Oh no,” he shook his head. “Does that mean we’re dressing her up again this year?”

 

“Don’t freak out,” she warned, wrapping her arm around his as he pushed the stroller. “That’s Gaila and Scotty’s present, which should be here by the end of the week.”

 

He sighed in relief, “Thank god,” he said. “All these princess things are getting expensive.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Add another little girl to the mix and it’s going to be even more expensive,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s a shame the other one wont let us know what it is.”

 

“Mama! Mama!”

 

They stopped, pushing the stroller out of the way, so Melanie could tend to Charlotte.

 

“Don’t be so cranky,” she cooed, tucking the light blanket around the toddler. “You and Mickey are all snuggly now and you can take a nappy-poo.”

 

Chris snorted as she babbled at the toddler, “And when we get home, you’ll get a bottle of milk and something warm for your tummy! You like that?”

 

“NO!” Charlotte screeched. “Mama! No!”

 

“Yes,” Melanie nodded; making sure the stuffed doll was strapped in along with Charlotte. “You and Mickey play nice, that way Mommy and Daddy can talk.”

 

Standing up, Melanie pulled the cover down and moved to take her place at Chris’s side. “Somebody needs a nap,” she shook her head, as they resumed their trip back to the apartment. “Hopefully by the time dinner rolls around, she wont be too crabby.”

 

“Then we’ll have to cancel her party,” he sighed. “Start the punishment phase early with this one, before it’s too late and she’s a wild child.”

 

“She’s already a wild child,” Melanie snorted, as they crossed the street. “You let her get away with everything.”

 

Chris shook his head, I do not!” he gasped in mock horror.

 

Melanie looked up at him and shook her head, “You’re not worming your way out of this, Christopher,” she shook her head. “Let’s get movin’! It’s getting chilly and I’m getting tired from all this walking.”

 

 


	25. Chapter 25

Two days after Spock and Nyota’s departure back to Ontario, Chris and Melanie started cleaning out the apartment in advanced for the upcoming party that would occur in two weeks.

 

“Where should we put the food?” Chris asked, as swept the floor in the kitchen. “We can’t put it all on the counter, especially when Len, Jim and I are cooking.”

 

“Alice and Rich are dropping off these fold up tables the night before,” she said, stopping mid-sweep to take a sip of her juice. “I figured we could put one table against the window for the food and drinks, and then the maybe we can set another table somewhere in the living room?”

 

Chris huffed, “So we have to move the couch?” he asked, dropping the bag of garbage near the front door.

 

She shrugged, “I don’t know,” she said. “Why don’t you wait until Jim and Len come? I’m sure they’ll have an idea of how to set up the tables, that way you don’t have to do it alone.”

 

Charlotte squealed from her playpen, as she played with her toys. “Let’s just worry about clearing out the extra junk that’s out here,” she held her hand up. “It’s almost lunch time anyways.”

 

‘You’re hungry again?” he exclaimed, watching as she resumed sweeping. “You had breakfast an hour ago!”

 

“Um, hello? I’m pregnant,” she looked up at him, frowning. “With twins. Twins who are really hungry all the time.”

 

Chris rolled his eyes, “Yeah and two hours after lunch you’ll be asking me when dinner’ll be done.”

 

She pouted, “Don’t complain, Chris,” she huffed. “ _You_ got me pregnant in the first place. Magic sperm busting through birth control and all that other nonsense.”

 

He snorted, “What?” she asked, watching as he laughed.

 

“Magic sperm?” he asked, incredulously. “Please tell me that’s not a quote from some kind of Harry Potter porn spoof.”

 

“How do you know they have Harry Potter porn spoofs?” she asked. “Oh my god, have you been watching porn?”

 

Chris turned and started towards the playpen, “Why would I have to watch porn when I have you?” he asked, bending down to pick Charlotte up. “I stopped watching porn after our first date.”

“I can just picture it,” Melanie giggled. “You coming home after a long day working at the _Yorktown_ , putting on the television to CineMax and whacking off to one of those awful after dark specials.”

 

“Shut up, Mel,” he blushed furiously, as Charlotte babbled to him.

 

Melanie snorted, “You’re blushing!’ she exclaimed, as he started into the kitchen. “My wittle Cwistopher is bwshing!”

 

Setting Charlotte into her high chair, Chris turned to look at her. “I didn’t watch porn on CineMax!” he hissed, as she laughed. “It was Pay-Per-View.”

 

“STOP!” she screeched, bursting into uncontrollable laughter, as he blushed an even deeper shade of red. “OH MY GOD!”

 

Charlotte, unaware of what the conversation was about, started giggling as well. Glancing between his wife and his daughter, Chris shook his head and walked towards the refrigerator. “I can’t believe you two,” he muttered, pushing cartons and bags around.

 

Melanie stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, ‘I’m sorry,” she huffed, giggling every few seconds. “If it makes you feel any better, I used to watch girl on girl porn to get in the mood.”

 

He snorted, before clearing his throat. “I would never laugh at you for that,” he said, though the waver in his tone showed the actual truth. “Girl on girl? Really?”

 

“I couldn’t do the hetero porn,” she shook her head, as he turned around. “Didn’t like the dom and sub themes that went with it.”

 

“But we kinda got a dom and sub thing going on with us,” he frowned, as she hugged him. “It’s mild, but it’s there.”

Melanie looked up at him and smirked, “That’s because you know when it’s the right mood for it,” she bit her lip. “You wanna watch some CineMax later? After we put the baby down for bed?”

 

He groaned, “Come on!” she giggled, running her hands up and down his chest. “We could get some ideas and I think I can do those breathy moans and over-the-top ones as well.”

 

“How about you sit down and let me put your lunch together?” he suggested, as Charlotte pointed at them. “You’re this close to getting a bowl of spinach, while Charlie get’s her mac and cheese.”

 

“You’re no fun,” she pouted, as he kissed her cheek. “Fine, I’ll sit down!”

 

Heading to the table, Melanie pulled the highchair closer and sat down, tickling Charlotte as she did so.

 

“You’re party is becoming a questionable event,” she said, as Charlotte gnawed on her fingers. “You better look back on this in ten years and remember how good you had it.”

 

……………

 

The weekend before the party was a busy one, leading up to another doctor’s visit early Monday morning. At each visit, since the announcement that one of the babies was in fact a girl, it became a game of hide and seek to find out the gender of the second baby.

 

“Still nothing,” Laura shook her head. “If you’re putting registry plans on hold, I suggest you just go on ahead and go with gender neutral for this one.”

 

Melanie groaned, “Noooo!” she shook her head. “We already decided on Cinderella for the girl.”

 

Chris snorted, “We?” he asked, as Charlotte tried to pull his glasses off. “More like you picked that theme. I wanted Dora!”

 

“Dora sucks,” Melanie scoffed, as Laura wiped her belly clean. “I’m thinking Cinderella and Ariel if it’s a girl, or Cinderella and Nemo if it’s a boy!”

 

“Well,” Laura sighed. “I wish you both luck on figuring out your shopping for the nursery.”

 

Melanie took her shirt from Chris and pulled it over her head, “You’re still coming this Saturday, right?” she asked, as Laura helped her off the exam table. “Party starts at noon and we’re having cake!”

 

Laura nodded, “I might be a little late,” she warned. “I have another scheduled C-section for ten and sometimes they take forever.”

 

“Either way, Charlie will be happy to see you there,” Chris said, bouncing the toddler on his knee. “Right?”

 

“Bebebebebebebebe!” she babbled, as Melanie tugged on her leggings. “Mama!”

 

“Mama’s almost ready,” she said, ruffling her hair. “She just needs to put her shoes on and then we can go home.”

 

Laura snickered, “Make sure you get some rest before this party, “ she warned. “That way you can enjoy the day with your family.”

 

Standing up with Charlotte, Chris nodded. “Oh she will,” he promised. “She’s going right into bed and relaxing, that way I can take this one to pick up some stuff for her party.”

 

“Sounds good,” Laura nodded. “I’ll let you know about Saturday!”

 

Once the doctor left, Melanie tugged on her boots and sat back in the chair. “It’s getting harder to dress myself now,” she shook her head, pushing up off the chair. “Let’s go home, Charlie. Mama needs to lay down for a while.”

 

…………

 

By the end of the week rolled by, Melanie went into panic mode. Horrible thoughts of the balloons not being ready for Saturday or the dream she had the night before her brother, niece and Jim flew out, about the cake falling off it’s tray and onto the floor, plagued her.

 

“You shouldn’t be on your feet like this,” Chris scolded, as he led her to the sofa. “Your brother just called and said they landed, so they’ll be here soon.”

 

“I have to clean the kitchen!” she protested, as Charlotte zoomed by. “Charlie! Don’t go into the kitchen!”

 

Chris quickly darted after her, scooping her up from behind, “You are staying with Mommy,” he said, kissing her cheek. “Daddy is going to finish cleaning the kitchen and then we’re going to wait for your Uncles and Jo-Jo.”

 

“’Ones!” Charlotte squeaked, as he set her down on the sofa. “’Ones!”

 

“Yes,” Chris sighed, rolling his shoulders with a hiss. “Bones is on his way to see you for your birthday.”

 

Melanie sighed, “Can I at least put the clean towels in the closet for them?” she asked.

 

“Nope,” Chris shook his head. “Keep your butt on the sofa and don’t even think about sneaking down the hall. I’ll know and I will drag you back by the straps of your maternity bra.”

 

She gasped, “That’s awful!” she exclaimed.

 

“I will do it!” he yelled from the kitchen.

 

Melanie shook her head and looked down at Charlotte, who stared up at her with a blank expression. “What’s wrong, Charlie?” she cooed. “You wanna watch some Disney?”

 

The toddler blinked a few times, before breaking out into a grin; her pleased expression was one of many expressions that Melanie learned to decipher in the last two years.

 

“Charlotte Anne,” she tsk’d. “I guess we have to change your diaper, huh?”

 

………..

 

By the time Melanie came out of the bathroom with Charlotte, freshly bathed and in a new diaper, their first set of guests arrived. Suitcases sat by the front door, as the two men and the little girl, yanked off their coats.

 

“Aunt Mellie!” Joanna squealed, rushing forward. “Charlie!”

 

“Hi Jo,” Melanie smiled, squatting down to be at eye-level with her. “How was your flight?”

 

Joanna kissed her cheek, “It was boring,” she sighed. “Then it got really bumpy and Daddy got really nervous. He almost threw up in the paper baggy things they put in the seat pocket and made Jim order a bunch of smelly drinks for him.”

 

Leonard scowled as he made his way over to Melanie, “You make it sound worse than it actually was,” he shook his head, helping Melanie up. “It was an satisfactory flight.”

 

She snorted, kissing his cheek. “Bullshit,” she smirked, as he took Charlotte from her.

 

“Nice mouth,” he shook his head, before smiling at Charlotte. “And here’s the birthday girl! We came all the way over the country for you, baby girl!”

 

“ ‘Ones!” Charlotte screeched, as he smothered her face with kisses. “Up!”

 

As Leonard played with the toddler, Melanie made her way over to Jim and Chris, smiling as she hugged the younger man.

 

“He totally cried halfway through the flight,’ Jim whispered, before placing a kiss on her cheek. “And look at this belly! Are you sure there’s only two in here?”

 

“Jim!” Chris scolded, whacking him on the arm. “What did I tell you about making size jokes?”

 

Melanie snorted, “It’s fine,” she shook her head, while rubbing her expanding belly. “At least this time around I’m all belly and boobs and that my ass and thighs have been spared.”

 

“Too bad,” Jim sighed. “Your ass was glorious the last time you were pregnant. Chris wouldn’t shut the hell up about it and how nice it was to hold onto during sex.”

 

Leonard coughed violently, startling Charlotte while doing so, before turning a withering glare to his boyfriend. “James,” he said, the tone of his voice almost deadly.

“What?” Jim huffed, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m just stating the obvious facts about Melanie’s physical appearance between this pregnancy and the last.”

 

Melanie looked at her husband, “You talked about our sex life with Jim?” she asked, shaking her head.

 

“Oh like you don’t tell him every detail?” he shot back, snorting. “I have to listen to him talk about all the stuff this one whispers in his ear.”

 

If Leonard could blush any harder, he would’ve blended in with the curtains that were closed at the moment. “Jim, I would like to speak to you alone for a moment,” he said, setting Charlotte down on the floor. “Jo, play with Charlie and show her the little picture book you got her at the airport.”

 

As Jim reluctantly dragged his sorry self down the hall with Leonard, Chris went to lock the front door, while Melanie carried Charlotte to the sofa with Joanna.

 

“Are you hungry, Jo?” Chris asked, as she sat down with the picture book. “Or did you guys stop on the way to eat?”

 

“Daddy wanted to get here as fast as possible,” she shrugged. “Jim got me chicken nuggets before we got on the plane.”

 

He chuckled, “Do you want a sandwich?” he asked. “I’ll make your favorite and there’s a nice, cold bottle of apple juice in the fridge.”

Joanna’s eyes lit up, “Please?” she asked. “Only if you want to that is.”

 

“Of course I want to,” he chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. “You’re my niece and I love spoiling you when you’re here.”

 

Melanie giggled, “I’ll get your juice,” she said, standing up. “You and Charlie stay here and relax and hopefully Daddy and Jim will stop being idiots and come out.”

 

Joanna snorted as she opened the picture book, “Daddy’s hard-headed like Zeus,” she shook her head. “He says that Jim is more like a child than a boyfriend with all the headaches he gives him. That’s why I call him Athena, because Athena give Zeus a headache before she came out of his head.”

 

Glancing at one another, Chris shook with silent laughter as Melanie nodded slowly. “I must’ve missed that story,” she admitted, much to Joanna’s dismay. “But you can tell me all about it tomorrow over breakfast!”

 

“Give me five minutes, Jo,” Chris said, pushing away from the sofa. “If you want to put the TV on you can. I saved all the channels you like to watch and I could’ve sworn that I saw a Spongebob marathon listed until tomorrow night.”

 

Joanna squealed and dived for the remote, “Spongbob Charlie!” she cried, turning the television on.

 

“Spongebob?” Melanie asked, as she and Chris stepped into the kitchen. “Last time I put that on for Charlie, you told me to turn it off.”

 

He blushed, “I might’ve left it on one morning when you went out with Rosette,” he shrugged. “It’s pretty funny, once you get past the obvious crude humor.”

 

“I say we try Family Guy,” she shrugged, taking the container of apple juice out. “Because if you think Spongebob is suitable for our almost two year old daughter, then I can subject her to Family Guy.” 


	26. Chapter 26

The next day, as Chris’s parents flew from their home in California to New York, the group managed to wake up early, have breakfast and relax for most of the day. With Anne and Josh’s flight scheduled to land a little after eleven that evening, after a short stop in Chicago, they didn’t have any plans for visitors until the following morning.

 

“Mom and Dad will probably go right to the hotel and crash until tomorrow afternoon,” Chris shrugged, as they sat down on the sofa. “If they change their mind, Mom said she’d call us to let us know.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Kay,” she yawned, settling her head against his chest. “Did you guys sleep good?”

 

Jim nodded, “For the most part,” he mumbled, glancing at Leonard. “Are you sure Jo and Charlie are fine in your room alone?”

 

“They’ll be fine,” Chris nodded, glancing at the time on the cable box. “Charlie usually goes down for a nap around this time, waking up between three and four.”

 

“Hmm, lucky kid,” Leonard shook his head, a small smirk evident on his face. “So, we have some good news for you two.”

 

Melanie gasped, “You’re getting married!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands. “Oh my god!”

 

“Um.. no,” Jim shook his head. “We actually found a house for you guys in Beacon Hill.”

 

“What?” Chris asked, shocked. “Y-you did?”

 

Leonard nodded, “It’s three blocks away from Nyota’s old place, so a five minute drive from our house,” he said. “And its’ got everything you wanted and a little more.”

 

“How much are they asking for?” Melanie asked. “And do you have pictures?”

 

Jim nodded and got up from his spot on the other sofa, moving to collect Melanie’s laptop. As he booted the machine up, Leonard continued talking about the house that he and Jim found a week earlier.

 

“It’s got a huge basement that’s been done up to be a playroom or whatnot,” he waved his hand about. “A big kitchen and dining room attached. The living room is a decent size and there’s enough bedrooms for you and the kids and guests.”

 

“Here,” Jim carefully handed the laptop over to them.

 

Chris took it and settled it onto his lap, Melanie leaning in to look at the photos. “Oh wow,” she gasped. “It’s looks so cozy!”

 

The two story brick house stood nestled around trees and a neatly manicured lawn; a porch wrapped around the entire front of the, screaming to be decorated throughout all seasons. The inside was an entire different story, as Chris clicked through the photographs listed on the site. The bedrooms were huge, which would be perfect for the twins and for themselves.

 

“I know it says three bedrooms on there, but when we saw the house in person, it actually had five rooms,” Jim said. “Three on the second floor and two on the first. So you can have your office that you’ve been dying to have since Charlie came in.”

 

Melanie smiled, “I really like this house, Chris,” she nodded. “It’s everything we want and more! It’s got space for all of us and it’s almost.. country like.”

 

He nodded, “One fireplace,” he smiled, reading what the house came with. “You wanted a house with one fireplace.”

“We put your name down as interested buyers,” Leonard shrugged. “Didn’t want to risk losing the house if we didn’t act fast.”

 

“We still have to see it in person,” Chris nodded. “Just because it looks nice in the photos, doesn’t mean we’ll like it in person.”

 

Leonard frowned, “But isn’t banned from flyin’?” he asked, pointing to his sister. “If you want to move in by the end of the year, shouldn’t you save your one freebie for the big move?”

 

Chris nodded, “I’ll fly out and look at it,” he said, putting the laptop down on the coffee table. “I can get some time off from work and fly out to see it.”

 

“Oh god, I hope you buy it,” Jim sighed. “It’s gorgeous and think about how amazing it’ll look around Christmastime! All the lights you can put on the porch and the vaulted ceilings with a big old Douglas Fir tree near the fireplace.”

 

“Hands off the house, Jim,” Melanie giggled. “You already have a place.”

 

Jim pouted, “That house is Martha Stewart’s wet dream,” he shook his head. “If you buy it, you wont have to worry about doing any work to it. Just a little paint and maybe putting up your own garden, but that’s it.”

 

Leonard nodded in agreement, “Why nobody wants to buy it is crazy,” he shook his head. “Especially for two-fifty! Our house isn’t even worth half of that now, that it was ten years ago!”

 

“Well, if Chris likes it then I will too,” Melanie yawned. “I just hope this is the real deal, because I can’t even imagine where two extra cribs will go if we stay here any longer.”

 

………….

 

By Friday night, everyone who RSPV’d to the party had landed in Manhattan. Pavel had settled in Brooklyn for the next several days to attend some seminars before flying back to Seattle. Anne and Josh, along with Nyota and Spock, were staying at the same hotel, taking the subway up to Chris and Melanie’s apartment together to visit. David McCoy had flown in straight from his extended vacation in Italy, stopping by the apartment for a short visit, before checking in at a hotel to sleep off the jet lag. Rosette took the subway down from her apartment in Bronx to help set up the decorations for the party the next day, along with the others, before heading home by four.

 

Now, at eight-thirty, the last minute preparations were taking place; preparations that were driving Melanie insane.

 

“Put that table over there,” Melanie ordered, as Jim and Leonard unfolded the contraption. “We’ll put food and drinks on that one.”

 

The boys carried the table over to the wall, setting it down with a thud. “Guys!” Chris hissed. “We have neighbors!”

 

“Sorry,” Jim winced, wiping his hand across the top of the table. “Where do you want those?”

 

Pavel and Alice were in the middle of collecting the couch pillows that would sit in the hall closet until the party was over, while Melanie set the items on the coffee table on the television stand.

 

“Hmmm,” Melanie looked around the living room, plotting. “Let’s move this sofa over here.”

 

As Chris moved the side table back, Jim and Leonard picked up the sofa and turned it so that it faced the opposite sofa on the other side of the room. “Now what?” Leonard asked, wiping his hands on his jeans.

 

“We could take the coffee table and put it on your side of Charlie’s room,” Chris shrugged. “Just for the day and then afterwards we can bring it back out.”

 

“Let’s do that,” Melanie nodded. “Then we can put the smaller table here and some chairs.”

 

“Or we can just forget about the table and use the sofas?” Richard shrugged. “You’re not gonna have enough chairs for everyone, and the table is smaller than the one for the food.”

 

Melanie sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “Okay, okay,” she nodded. “Forget this table and we’ll just leave it like this.”

 

“You sure?” Chris asked, as she scanned the room.

 

“Yeah,” she nodded. “This open space is good for anyone who plans on taking photos when we open her presents after cake.”

 

Just then, Joanna came rushing out from one of the bedrooms, and grabbed Chris’s hand. “Charlie crawled under the bed and I can’t get her out,” she whispered.

 

“What?” Chris frowned, as Joanna nodded. “Okay, let’s go get her.”

 

They both rushed down the hall, leaving the others to finish putting the living room together for the party tomorrow.

 

“God, I hope I have everything for tomorrow,” Melanie shook her head, as Richard and Pavel carried the extra table downstairs to the car. “I will lose my mind if we don’t.”

 

Leonard wrapped his arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the couch, “How about you sit down for a few minutes,” he said, as she sat on the cushion with a groan. “I’ll make you a non-alcoholic fruity drink and we’ll start putting the rest of the decorations us.”

 

“Would you?” she sighed. “God that would be lovely.”

 

“What were you doing under the bed?” Chris asked, as he, Joanna and Charlotte came out from the guestroom. “There’s nothing under there for you!”

 

Charlotte whimpered, “NO!” she cried, as he carried her over to the sofa. “NOOOO!!!”

 

“It’s almost bedtime for you,” Jim smirked, as Chris sat down next to Melanie with the toddler. “Tomorrow’s your birthday!”

 

Melanie rested her head against Chris’s shoulder and sighed, “How old are you going to be, Charlie?” she asked.

 

Chris turned her around on his lap, hugging her to his chest as if she were a tiny newborn again. “Are you going to be two?” he asked her. “You’re getting too big, Charlie girl.”

 

“Too big to carry around, too big for her crib,” Melanie sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “Maybe we should have her sleep in Jo’s bed after this.”

 

“Or maybe you’ll let Chris here fly out to see that house,” Leonard suggested, handing her a glass. “You can finally get a big girl bed for Charlie and move the crib into another room for one of the twins.”

 

Charlotte reached for the glass in Melanie’s hand, “Mama! Mine!” she demanded.

 

“Did you just say “Mine”?” Chris asked, looking at his daughter. “A new word!”

 

“Mine!” Charlotte wiggled in Chris’s arms, trying to stick her hand into the cup.

 

Melanie set the glass down on the side table and shook her head, “You can’t drink that, baby,” she cooed, as the toddler began to whimper. “It’s just about time for bed and you can’t drink anything before bed.”

 

Jim came by and pouted, “Don’t look so sad, Charlie,” he cooed. “Tomorrow you get to have cake and everything yummy!”

 

“I’m leavin!” Pavel shouted, as he slipped on his jacket. “Gotta get the subway back to Brooklyn before my friend leaves for his party.”

 

“Bye Pavel!” Melanie waved at him. “Thank you for coming by to help!”

 

He nodded, “No problem! I’ll see ya tomorrow!” he pulled the front door open. “Bye bye, Charlie!”

 

“Say bye, bye to Pavel,” Chris said, holding up her arm to wave at him. “Bye!”

 

“We better get going too,” Rich said, as he looked down at his watch. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning before picking up the stuff at the restaurant.”

 

Chris nodded and shifted Charlotte onto Melanie’s lap, pulling himself off the sofa. As they walked towards the front door, Alice came over and bent down to kiss Charlotte on the head.

 

“See you tomorrow, baby,” she smiled, rubbing her back. “Be good for Mommy and Daddy.”

 

“Ah!” Charlotte shrieked, making a grabby hands motion towards the woman. “Up!”

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Melanie smiled, as Alice followed her husband out the door. “Be careful going home!”

 

Once the front door was closed and locked, Chris sighed in relief and headed back to the sofa.

 

“Are we done for tonight?” Jim asked, flopping down on the sofa across from them. “Or do we need to finish decorating?”

 

“We can put table clothes down tomorrow morning,” Chris yawned, as Charlotte babbled. “If we put them on tonight, the cats will be all over them and they’ll get ruined.”

  
“I’ll pick up the balloons with Jo,” Leonard yawned. “Nyota and Spock are coming with Dad around ten-thirty, that way she can finish up the cake and what not.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Sounds good,” she sighed. “Let’s go put this one to bed so I can lay down.”

 

Taking the baby, Melanie slowly made her way off the sofa and waited patiently as Chris got up as well. Once Leonard and Jim said their goodnights and placed noisy kisses on her cheeks, the couple carried the birthday girl down the hall to her room and got her ready for bed.

 

“Tomorrow’s gonna be a big day for you,” Chris said, as he changed her diaper. “You’re going to be two years old! You’re practically a big girl now, with all that talking and running around that you do.”

 

Melanie snorted as she pulled out a pair of pajamas for her, “It feels like it was just yesterday when Mommy had you,” he shook his head, snapping the diaper into place. “Right outside our front door during a hurricane. You were so impatient, wanting to meet us that bad.”

 

“And poor Mommy hasn’t been the same since,” Melanie said, shaking her head. “Let’s hope your sister and the little munchkin stay in so she can have them with a doctor present.”

 

Charlotte cooed, smiling at them as they talked. “Mama, up!” she demanded.

 

Pulling the onesie on, Melanie carefully picked her up and held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. “You ready to go sleepies?” she asked, shifting from side to side. “Tomorrow we’ll get you all dressed up in your pretty dress and we’ll play games and eat cake.”

 

Once Charlotte was half asleep, Chris carefully took her from Melanie and held her for a bit, “She’s not a baby anymore,” he said quietly, shaking his head. “When did that happen?”

 

Melanie wrapped her arm around his waist, “I don’t know,” she whispered, looking down at their sleeping daughter.

 

Dropping a kiss onto her forehead, Chris carefully settled her down in the crib, noting how big she looked within it, and pulled the blanket up to cover her. Setting the mobile up, they both stood at the side and watched as she slept.

 

“Come on,” Melanie whispered, giving his hand a light tug. “Let’s get ready for bed.”

 

Quietly, they stepped out of the room and closed the door halfway, before moving into their own bedroom. They changed into their pajamas, washing up in the bathroom quietly, before climbing into bed.

 

“She needs big girl bed,” Chris sighed, as they laid in the dark. “Sooner or later, she’s gonna outgrow that crib.”

 

“I know,” Melanie nodded, tucking her arm under her head. “I think we should consider looking into that house.”

 

Chris yawned, “I’ll fly out sometime next week and take a look at it,” he mumbled, shifting his head against the pillow. “You think it’s the one?”

 

Melanie nodded, “I think that’s our house, Chris,” she said softly. “It may not have the pool, but it’s got everything else that we’ve been talking about.”

 

Pulling her close, minding her growing belly, Chris placed a gentle kiss against her lips. “Then it’s our house,” he said, pulling away.

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

Melanie was up bright and early the morning, rising along with the sun. Carefully untangling herself from Chris, she quietly made her way into the bathroom to freshen up. A few minutes later, Melanie was crossing the hall and stepping into Charlotte’s room, unfazed to see that the toddler was awake and standing up in the crib.

 

“Hi munchkin,” she whispered, as Charlotte held her hands out for her. “Happy birthday.”

 

“Mama,” Charlotte cooed, as Melanie lifted her out of the crib.

 

“Let’s check your diaper and then we’ll go back into Mommy’s room,” she said softly, setting Charlotte down on the changing table. “Daddy’s still sleeping.”

 

Once a new diaper was fastened onto her bottom, Melanie grabbed one of the many toys in the crib and carried her back across the hall to the master bedroom.

 

“Shhh,” she whispered, as they settled down on the bed. “We’ll wake him up soon.”

 

Grabbing the remote of the nightstand, Melanie turned the television on and went to the Disney channel. “Let’s watch your cartoons for now,” she said quietly, setting Charlotte down next to her. “Mickey Mouse is going to be on in a little bit.”

 

“ ‘Ouse?” Charlotte asked, looking up at her.

 

“Mickey Mouse,” she confirmed, giving her a small smile. “Let’s get you under the blankies and Mommy will watch your show with you.”

  
They sat quietly for another hour, until Chris began to stir. Charlotte let out a little grunt, moving to climb over Melanie’s lap to reach him. With her assistance, Charlotte was moved from one side of the bed to the middle, standing on her feet, as Chris rolled over to face them.

 

“Hey,” he yawned, as Charlotte began to squeal. “ C’mere birthday girl.”

 

Charlotte automatically jumped on him, earning a grunt of pain from Chris, as he wrapped his arms around her tiny body.

  
“Pa!” she shrieked, as he kissed her cheeks. “ “Ouse!”

 

“Hmm? Mickey Mouse is on?” he asked, sitting up with her. “Oh look at that! There’s Puto!”

 

Melanie smiled, “How long have you two been up for?” he asked, as she leaned forward to give him a kiss.

 

“I woke up around six and she was standing up in the crib,” she shrugged. “Too early to make breakfast with everyone sleeping still.”

 

Chris yawned again, “I think we should wake everyone up,” he said, ruffling Charlotte’s hair. “Hmm? Wanna wake Uncle Jim and Uncle Bones?”

“’Ones! “im!” Charlotte clapped her hands. “Up!”

 

“Let Daddy go potty and I’ll take you to wake them up,” Melanie said, as Chris set her down on the bed.

 

Chris slowly pulled himself out of bed and started towards the bathroom, “I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” he said, before shutting the door halfway. “You want tea?”

 

Climbing out of bed, Melanie picked Charlotte up and carried her to the door. “Tea’s fine!” she said, pulling the door open. “Let’s go, Charlie!”

 

Setting the toddler down on her feet, Melanie steered her towards the back of the apartment and giggled as Charlotte rushed towards the extra bedroom. She waited by the door, watching as Melanie made her way towards her.

  
“Mama! Mama!” she whined, bouncing on her toes. “Up!”

 

“Okay, okay,” she shook her head, pushing the door open. “Go on!”

 

Charlotte squealed as she ran into the room, making her way over to the bed that Leonard and Jim slept in.

 

“UP! UP!” she screeched.

 

Leonard sat up with a startled snort, while Jim groaned in protest. Charlotte giggled as she yanked on Jim’s hand, which hung off the side of the bed.

 

“Charlieeeeeee,” Jim whined, pressing his face into the pillow. “Don’t you have parents to wake up?”

 

“We’re already awake,” Melanie snickered, as she lowered herself down on the edge of Joanna’s bed. “Good morning, Jo.”

 

The teen yawned, “Hmmm, what time is it?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

  
“Seven fifteen,” Melanie sighed, as Charlotte ran around to the other side of the bed. “Uncle Chris is gonna start on breakfast and coffee.”

 

“’Ones!” Charlotte whined, making grabby hands at him. “Up!”

 

“You,” he reached down to pick her up. “Are a menace!”

 

She giggled as he kissed her cheek, “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” he sighed. “Are you excited for your party?”

 

Jim groaned, stretching out under the thick duvet, before sitting up. “Shit,” he grunted, yawning. “Why do you guys wake so early?”

 

“We have a toddler, Jim,” Melanie snorted. “We’re lucky if we can sleep in til eight-thirty!”

 

Joanna climbed out of bed and made her way out of the room, while Leonard set the toddler down on the bed. “Go get ‘em,” he chuckled, as Charlotte crawled towards Jim. “I’m gonna help out with breakfast and get her bananas ready.”

 

“Ouch! Charlie that was my tummy,” Jim groaned, as she squealed. “You have knees of steel, little girl!”

 

Melanie stood up slowly from the bed and started towards the door, “Five minutes, Jim,” she warned. “Or I’m sending Chris in here and he’ll drag you out of bed.”

 

…………..

 

After a quick and easy breakfast of eggs, bacon and fruit, the kitchen had been cleaned up and preparations began. Joanna took a shower first, waiting patiently for her hair to dry partially before Melanie helped with the hair dryer. Jim and Leonard took turns getting ready, while Chris put Charlotte in the bath.

 

“Okay,” Chris chuckled, as Charlotte wiggled in her penguin bathrobe. “Let’s dry you off and let Mommy take her shower.”

 

“Just put her in a diaper,” Melanie said, as she grabbed her own bathrobe off the back of the chair. “And use that lavender scented powder for dry skin. It’s in the basket with a purple top.”

 

A hot shower helped with the strained muscles in her back and neck, as she stood under the faucet. Tackling her long blonde locks, Melanie rinsed out the shampoo and soap suds and turned the shower off. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped it around her and reached out to wipe the steam off the windows.

 

“Shit,” she muttered, looking down at her phone. “Where did all the time go?”

 

Drying off quickly, Melanie wrapped her hair up in a towel and quickly stepped out of the bathroom; Chris and Charlotte sat on the bed and played with one of her toys.

 

“Nyota, Spock and your Dad are here,” he said, as Charlotte waved at her. “Jim and Len are out in the living room with them now.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I’ll take Charlie and you get in the shower,” she said, scooping the girl up. “Ready to see your Aunt and Uncle? And Grandpa?”

 

Charlotte beamed at her, reaching out to touch the water droplets that dripped from under the towel. As Chris disappeared into the bathroom, Melanie carried Charlotte down the hall and into the living room.

 

“There’s the birthday girl!” David cried, as Charlotte squealed. “Hi darlin’!”

 

Melanie kissed him on the cheek and smiled as he took Charlotte into his arms, “I know we’re a little early,” he shrugged. “But Miss Nyota wanted to finish up that cake.”

 

“That’s fine!” she waved her hand. “Chris and I still have to get ready and Len’s going to get he balloons in a bit.”

 

Nyota came out of the kitchen and smiled, “Hello!” she made her way over to them. “Oh no! I hope you didn’t rush your shower because of us!”

 

Melanie shook her head, “It was getting too hot in there,” she laughed. “You look amazing!”

 

Running her hands down the front of her floral printed skirt, Nyota laughed. “This old thing?” she asked. “I feel like I over dressed for this.”

 

“No way,” Jim snorted. “You look amazing, Ny!”

 

“You should listen to Jim,” Melanie nodded. “He knows his fashion and he’s picked out the most stylish, yet comfortable outfit for me. Now I know I won’t look like a stuffed pig today.”

 

Leonard snorted, “Oh god,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “I think we should go get those balloons now.”

 

David handed Charlotte over to Jim, who sat on the sofa next to Spock and grabbed his coat. “You have the order, son?” he asked, as Leonard reached for his own jacket. “We’ll see you in a bit!”

 

Once they left, Melanie and Nyota disappeared back into the kitchen to finish up on the cake, while Charlotte babbled to both Jim and Spock.

 

“Hey Spock!” Chris said, as he came out of the bedroom.

  
“Good Morning,” he nodded once. “Nyota and Melanie are in the kitchen with the cake.”

 

He nodded and sat down on the arm of the sofa across from them, “Did David and Len leave?” he asked, noting the absence of both McCoy’s.

 

“Went to get the balloons,” Jim snickered, as Charlotte tried to pull Spock’s nose off his face. “Easy girl.”

 

Spock went stiff as Charlotte touched his face, “ Hihihihihihi,” she squeaked, leaning into shove her face into the crook of his neck.

 

“It’s okay,” Chris held up his hands, noting the panic in Spock’s eyes. “She’s hugging you.”

 

“The cake looks amazing!” Melanie said, as she and Nyota came out of the kitchen. “I can’t wait for everyone to see it later!”

 

Nyota smiled and turned to see her boyfriend on the sofa, stiff as a board with a toddler on him. “Oh my,” she giggled. “Isn’t this sweet?”

 

Melanie snickered as Charlotte patted Spock on the cheek lightly, smiling at him. “She is most adequate in her communication skills,” Spock noted, relaxing a bit as Charlotte lightly tugged at his sweater. “Hello. I am Spock.”

 

“Boogie!” Charlotte squealed.

 

A round of snickers went around the room, as Spock blushed. “No,” he shook his head. “Spock.”

 

“Boogie! Boogie! Boogie!” she chanted, before hugging him again.

 

“Oh Jesus,” Chris snorted, shaking his head. “I feel like everyday she’s learning a new word.”

 

Jim snickered at Spock’s discomfort, “Smart girl,” he shook his head. “You should start teaching her Spanish so she’s masters it by the time she’s three.”

 

“How about we just worry about her saying full sentences?” Melanie suggested, as Nyota started down the hall to the bedroom. “I’m gonna get dressed and Ny’s helping me. Could you start putting out the chips and drinks?”

 

Chris nodded and stood up from the sofa arm, “Yes Ma’am,” he said, kissing her. “We’ll put the rest of the decorations up while we’re at it.”

 

“Good,” she smiled, before waving to Jim and Spock. “We’ll be back!”

 

Once the girls disappeared into the bedroom, Chris turned to the two on the sofa and nodded. “You heard the lady,” he said. “Let’s get this place together before everyone starts showing up!” 


	28. Chapter 28

By two, the party was in full swing as the guests arrived and mingled with one another. Chris, Rich, Leonard and Jim moved back and forth from the kitchen, bringing out food and taking the empty dishes to wash and load again. Charlotte, dressed in her Auroa costume, trotted along her family members, squealing and giggling as they picked her up and played with her.

 

“Please tell me you have that vegetable done,” Melanie groaned, as she carried empty plastic cups into the kitchen.

 

“Almost,” Chris nodded, as he mixed the contents in the bowl. “How’s everyone doing out there?”

 

Melanie tossed the cups into the garbage and made her way over to the counter, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Everyone’s good,” she nodded, reaching for a carrot stick. “Mom took Charlie to change her diaper.”

 

“Daddy, can you help me get a drink?” Joanna asked, as she came into the kitchen. “I can’t reach the bottle of Sprite.”

 

Jim wiped his hands on a dishtowel and made his way over to her, “I’ll help you,” he smiled. “Daddy is trying to cut those onions up without making himself cry.”

 

Joanna giggled as Jim took her by the hand, leading her out of the kitchen. “Do you want me to wash those dishes?” Melanie asked, nodding to the growing pile in the sink. “That way you have them ready when it’s time to put more food out?”

 

“We’ve got it under control, hon,” Chris said, tossing the spoon into the sink. “You should be taking it easy and mingling with the others.”

 

“I’m feeling restless sitting on the sofa,” she pouted. “I need to move around before my limbs start cramping up from sitting on my ass.”

 

Rich snorted, “How about you take that bowl of pretzels and put them on the table?” he suggested. “It’s light and you can walk from the kitchen, to the living room and back.”

 

“Or I could sit here and eat this whole bowl,” Melanie said, picking up the pink party bowl. “You know what would go with these? That vegetable dip that’s taking you _forever_ to make.”

 

“Melanie, you cannot rush these things,” Chris shook his head, as he put the vegetable tray together. “Plus, if you eat too much of this, you’re going to be up all night complaining about a stomachache.”

 

Leonard snickered as he put together the rest of his food, ignoring the glare that she sent his way. Picking up the tray, Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her to the doorway.

 

“Let’s go see what everyone’s doing,” he suggested. “I thought you wanted to take a lot of pictures for her scrapbook.”

 

Melanie sighed, “Nyota’s taking them for me,” she said, as they moved into the living room. “And Jim promised to use his fancy camera to take more photos once the food is out and we’re ready for cake and presents.”

 

Setting the food down, the couple made their way over to the sofa, where Anne and Charlotte sat playing and nibbling on a few different pieces of food.

  
“You don’t like Swiss cheese?” Anne asked, as Charlotte turned her head away from the fancy cheese puffs that Jim made earlier that morning. “How about… cheddar?”

 

“Are you being good for Grandma?” Chris asked, leaning over the back of the sofa. “Is she being good, Mom?”

 

Anne nodded, “She’s being very good,” she smiled, as Charlotte pointed at Chris. “We did a diaper change and now we’re trying to get some food into this little tummy.”

 

“If you want, I could get some of her baby cookies from the kitchen,” Melanie offered. “I think we made a lot of grownup food and food that Jo likes, which Charlie can’t eat yet.”

 

The older woman shook her head, “We’re fine,” she smiled up at her daughter-in-law. “If anything, I’ll bring her into the kitchen for her normal snacks. She did however, slurp down two bottles of apple juice!”

 

“Uh oh,” Chris snickered, as he wiped Charlotte’s face with his hand. “Better hope she doesn’t pee on you.”

 

Just then, Joanna came over to the sofa and pulled herself up next to Anne, setting her plate on the cushion between herself and Anne.

 

“You have a flower garden at your house,” Joanna stated, looking at Anne. “Uncle Chris says you have lots of flowers.”

 

Anne nodded, “I do,” she smiled, as Charlotte squealed. “Do you have a flower garden at your house?”

 

Joanna nodded, “Daddy and Jim help me water and cut the weeds out, because I’m not allowed to play with the garden cutters.”

 

“We’re going back to the kitchen to get some more food,” Chris said, as Anne and Joanna talked about their flower gardens.

 

“I guess they’re going to be calling one another about flower gardens and what not,” Melanie smiled, as they made their way back into the kitchen.

 

“Soon that’ll be you,” he snickered. “Once we move the hell out of here, you’ll be ripping the flower beds up by the end of next summer.”

 

………………

 

“Okay!” Nyota smiled, as the party began to wind down around five. “Let’s get Mommy and the birthday girl on the sofa!”

 

Melanie carried Charlotte across the room and sat down, with Chris’s assistance, onto the sofa. Situating the toddler on her lap, making sure to avoid her ever-growing belly, Melanie wrapped her arms around Charlotte’s waist and watched as Jim and Nyota got the camera’s ready.

 

“Are you ready to open your presents?” she asked, as Charlotte smiled at the people standing and sitting before her. “You got a lot of stuff this year!”

 

Pavel snickered, “What’s gonna happen when Christmas comes around?” he asked, sitting with Joanna glued to his side.

 

“For Christmas, it’s going to be one book, a pair of socks and maybe a blanket,” Chris joked, as he and Joshua started moving presents closer to the couch. “She’s got two more siblings coming and she’s got enough stuff animals to make an army.”

 

Rosette giggled as she settled on the sofa across from the other, while Rick watched the scene before him. “See,” she said to her husband. “Isn’t this fun?”

 

“Okay!” Chris shouted, as Leonard and Hikaru horsed around in the kitchen; a major surprise to everyone, including Pavel, as Hikaru came in with a big gift bag and a huge smile on his face. “Presents!”

 

The first ten minutes of gift-opening consisted of Charlotte tugging at the ribbons and bows, throwing them all over, while Melanie helped her tear the wrapping paper open.

 

“Look!” Melanie gasped, as she pulled the Minnie Mouse bathing suit set. “You can wear this in the summer, once you’re a little bigger!”

 

Rosette smiled, “I figured that the three year old size would be better,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “If not, there’s a gift receipt with the card.”

 

Charlotte picked up the flip flops and tried to gnaw on them, until Melanie carefully took them away. “We’ve got a lot more to open,” she said, kissing her forehead. “Let’s see who this is from.”

 

By six-thirty, Charlotte was the proud owner of a dozen stuffed animals, books, clothes and miscellaneous items from her family. The floor was littered with wrapping paper, bows, and tissue paper, which made Charlotte giggle. Setting her down on the floor, Melanie watched as Charlotte grabbed a pink bow, rushing towards Pavel with a screech.

 

“For me?” Pavel asked, as Charlotte held the bow out for him. “Thank you!”

 

Chris snorted, as he took a seat next to Melanie. “First crush?” he asked, as Pavel set the toddler down on his lap. “Oh boy.”

 

Melanie smiled, “Gaila’s already got dibs if her baby’s a boy,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “Hmm, where are we going to put all these toys?”

 

They looked at the pile of Disney themed toys; the range of Disney princesses to Monsters Inc characters and Nemo, made them both laugh.

 

“Guess we’re gonna have to get another storage basket,” he sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Starving,” she sighed, resting her head against his chest. “I can’t wait to eat some cake. And more food. Then another piece of cake.”

 

As Jim and Nyota exchanged cameras to observe the photos they took, the other guests moved about to collect more food and drinks, while Charlotte babbled to Pavel, Joanna and Hikaru.

 

“She’s a social butterfly,” Melanie sighed, watching as Charlotte hugged Hikaru. “She’ll make plenty of friends.”

 

“Hmmm,” Chris nodded, as he rubbed the side of her belly. “Maybe she’ll be homecoming queen, prom queen and whatever else they have in high school.”

 

Melanie giggled, tucking her face into the curve of his shoulder and sighed. Continuing his slow and soothing rub against her belly, Chris watched as their family and friends moved around the apartment. So lost in his thoughts, he almost missed the swift kick against the palm of his hand.

 

“Did you feel that?” Melanie gasped, lifting her head up.

 

He nodded, “That was a kick,” he said, as another pushed against his hand.

 

“Oh thank god,” Melanie sighed, resting her hand upon his. “I was starting to wonder when they would start up.”

 

Kissing her forehead, Chris pulled her closer and smiled into the curls that fell over one shoulder.

 

…………..

 

The party came to an end around ten, much to Melanie’s relief. As most of their guests returned to their hotels and apartments, a few stayed behind to help clean and store the food in the refrigerator.

 

“Ready to say goodnight?” Melanie asked, as Charlotte ran ahead of her. “Go give everyone kisses!”

 

Joanna and Jim moved back and forth, carrying the opened presents from the living room to the bedroom, while Leonard and Chris set the dishes into the dishwasher.

 

“Hihihi!” Charlotte babbled, as Hikaru picked her up.

 

“Did you have a good day?” he asked, as he kissed her cheek. “You’re a big girl now, Charlie! All the three year old boys are gonna be after you.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Oh god,” she shook her head, collecting a stray cup from the side table. “Don’t let Chris hear you say that! He’s already dreading the idea of the puppy love stage.”

 

“What puppy love stage?” Chris asked, as he came out of the kitchen.

 

“Nothing,” Melanie smiled, as she kissed his cheek. “Charlie’s giving her kisses and she’s going to bed.”

 

He nodded, “Do you want us to take the decorations down now or tomorrow?” he asked, as the cats darted around the apartment.

 

“Just put the balloons in our shower and close the door,” she shrugged. “That way we don’t wake up to the cats popping them all.”

 

“ “Ones!” Charlotte squealed as she ran into the kitchen. “Up!”

 

Chris snorted, “I’ll go put the balloons away and then I’ll help you put her down for bed,” he promised.

 

Once Charlotte gave her kisses and hugs, Chris carried her down to the bedroom, Melanie close behind as they went. Once in the room, they each took a turn holding her, cuddling and kissing her as she cooed.

 

“Ready to go night night?” Chris asked, as Melanie fixed up the toys in the crib. “You and Sully can cuddle tonight.”

 

“Then tomorrow, we’re going to the park with Grandma and Grandpa and Grandpa David,” Melanie smiled. “Auntie Nyota, Uncle Spock and Uncle Pavel are going to come with us and we’re going to play and have a picnic.”

 

Charlotte gave them both a sleepy smile, as she clutched the front of Chris’s shirt. “You ready to lay down?” he asked, as she squirmed in his arms.

 

With a kiss and hug, Charlotte was tucked into bed with her new toys and princess blanket, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Turning the mobile on, Chris pulled up the side of the crib and locked it in place, before wrapping his arm around Melanie’s waist. They watched her sleep for a few minutes, before quietly making their way out of the bedroom, the nightlight going on as the other lights went out.

 

Closing the door halfway, they made their way back into the kitchen to find Hikaru and Pavel gone, and Joanna laying across the sofa with her book.

 

“Uncle Hikaru says he’s gonna call tomorrow,” she mumbled, trying to keep her eyes open. “He’s got a meeting with his doctors for school.”

 

Leonard stepped out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. “You ready for bed, Jo?” he asked, watching as she dozed in and out of slumber. “Come on, Jim and I will read you a story from your book.”

 

As Jim scooped Joanna off the couch, Leonard took the book from her and followed him down the hall. “You two go get ready for bed,” he said to them, looking back. “Once Jo’s asleep, we’ll finish cleaning up for you.”

 

Locking up the front door, Chris and Melanie made their way into their bedroom and got ready for bed.

 

“God, I’m so glad I can finally take my damn bra off,” Melanie sighed, as she dropped the offending garment into the hamper. “I felt like I was suffocating.”

 

Chris snorted as he set his own dirty clothes into the hamper, before reaching for the thermal shirt from the pile of clean laundry. “Once everyone goes home, you can walk around braless and not have to worry about people looking at you.”

 

“You look at me,” she scoffed, pulling her flannel nightshirt over her head. “Can you put my socks on?”

 

“I’m _allowed_ to look at you,” he said, lifting her leg up. “I would be very upset if another man was looking at you in such a… suggesting way.”

 

Melanie wiggled her toes at him, “I know,” she grinned. “Remember our trip to the Hamptons for my birthday?”

 

“Do I ever,” he shook his head. “All those boys looking at you in your little bikini. Your brother and Jim had to hold me back from beating them up.”

 

She giggled, “Hmm, I wonder if I can still fit into that bikini,” she shrugged. “Might be a little small on the top though.”

  
Settling down on the bed next to her, Chris leaned over and kissed her. “We could always try it on when they all leave,” he suggested, resting on his side. “Give Charlie to Alice and Rich for the night and have some adult time.”

 

“If you play your cards right,” Melanie sighed, resting her arm behind her head. “I’m ready for bed, baby. It’s been a long day and tomorrow’s another.”

 

“Let’s get you tucked in then,” he said, kissing her cheek. “I’ll go check on the baby and make sure those two aren’t wrecking my kitchen.”

 

Scooting further up the bed, Melanie slipped under the blankets and settled down on her side with a big sigh. “Hmmm, I love my bed,” she mumbled, as Chris tucked the heavy duvet around her. “Don’t take too long out there, mister. I want to cuddle.”

 

Chris snorted, “I wont,” he promised, getting up to move to the door. “Don’t hog the blankets.”

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

‘Easy baby,” Melanie said, as Charlotte tried to pull away from her. “Before you fall down and get hurt! Go to Daddy and let him tie your shoes!”

 

Charlotte screeched and tried to wiggle out of her arms, as Melanie steered her towards the picnic blanket near the tree.

 

“Charlie, are you being bad?” Chris asked, as he lightly grabbed her. “What did we say about running away from Mommy?”

 

“Pa!” she whined, as he fixed her sweater. “No!”

 

Pavel stood up, “Does she want to look at the ducks?” he asked, nodding to the pond. “I’ll take her over and we’ll look at them.”

 

“You don’t mind?” Melanie asked, as the young man shook his head. “Okay Charlie! Uncle Pavel will take you to see the ducks, but you better be good for him!”

 

Once Pavel and Charlotte made their way down to the pond, Melanie gently lowered herself next to Chris and sighed. “We’ve only been here for ten minutes and I’m exhausted.”

 

Nyota smiled, “It’s only gonna get worse when you have those two,” she said, nodding to her belly. “I think you should make Jim your nanny fulltime.”

 

“Hey! I happen to like my job,” he pouted, as Joanna snuggled against his side, her book resting on her chest.

 

“You like the free drinks and the fooling around you and Scotty do,” Leonard snickered. “Though that crazy drink you two came up with was really good.”

 

Jim smiled, “Once Gaila and Mellie pop out their babies, we’ll sit them down and give them a celebratory drink for the nine months of carrying those munchkins around.”

 

“Oh god,” Melanie groaned. “I would kill for cocktail. Or anything with liquor in it.”

 

“Maybe it’s a good thing we don’t have that much alcohol in the apartment,” Chris snorted, as Melanie picked up a paper plate

 

“When are the others coming?” Spock asked, as Nyota shifted on the blanket. “I was told that your parents, Rich and Alice would be joining us today.”

 

Chris sighed, “Well, Alice and Rich had to take McKayla to the doctor,” he said. “She fell getting out of the shower on her knee that needed surgery and said she felt something pop.”

 

Jim winced, “Aw man,” he shook his head. “And she was due for that X-ray next week, too.”

 

Melanie nodded, “She might’ve ripped something again,” she shook her head. “Poor girl. I can’t even imagine the pain she’s feeling.”

 

“Thank god for painkillers,” Leonard sighed, taking a sip of his drink. “Remember when Uncle Louie shattered his femur? That man was so doped up, he couldn’t even remember his goddamn name or where he was from.”

 

She snickered, “Remember when he told us he was from that magical land and that he rode Unicorns and Dragons to get from place to place?” she asked. “We would piss ourselves laughing, until Aunt Jessa yelled at us for egging him on.”

 

“Dad thought it was funny as all hell,” Leonard shook his head, “Too bad Mama didn’t think so.”

 

A sudden silence fell upon them, upon the mentioning of the former Mrs. McCoy. After two years, neither Leonard nor Melanie made the effort in contacting her after her hateful words towards her children and their respected partners. She had no idea that Melanie was pregnant again, nor had she ever seen a photograph of Charlotte.

 

“Well,” Chris said, breaking the tension. “I know David is on his way, once he gets back from his trip to that fancy cigar shop.”

 

“Are Anne and Josh still coming?” Jim asked, as Joanna perked up at their mentioning. “I know Jo wants to ask her a zillion questions about rose bushes, since she’s already looked up the prices of some at this very expensive nursery in Seattle.”

Leonard groaned, “Why you wanna add more flowers, Jo?” he asked. “Your little patch is already full!”

 

Joanna rolled over and looked at him, “We can put them in the front yard!” she exclaimed. “Aunt Mellie’s flowers are all dead because it’s winter time!”

 

“Baby girl, you gotta plant those in the spring,” Leonard sighed. “The ground is gonna be too cold by the time we get home.”

 

The girl pouted, “Daddy!” she whined. “Can we at least get one rose bush? I’ll name it after you?”

 

Jim snickered as Leonard scowled, “Fine,” he huffed. “But we’re only getting one and then we’re gonna look into getting those things somewhere cheaper!”

 

……….

After their family picnic, Pavel went back to his friend’s apartment in Brooklyn, while Anne, Joshua and Joanna went for a walk around Central Park; giving Jim and Leonard some alone time together.

 

“I’m so glad Chris and Spock took Charlie to get ice cream,” Melanie sighed, as Nyota looped her arm through hers. “I missed having girl time with my friends.”

 

Nyota smiled as they headed towards one of the few lingerie shops that sold merchandise for expectant mothers. “I’m surprised that you even want to try stuff on,” she shrugged. “I figured you were too tired to do all this shopping.”

 

“I am,’ Melanie shrugged. “But I’m tired of waddling out of the bathroom with nothing on these days. I miss having something for Chris to unwrap whenever we decide to have sex.”

 

“Well, I hope we find something,” Nyota giggled. “Chris told me how your bra was suffocating you last night.”

 

Melanie snorted, “I bet he calls you whenever I wear something naughty,” she shook her head. “Good lord.”

 

Nyota laughed, “He calls me or Gaila whenever you’re in the dumps,” she shrugged. “He doesn’t know what to say to you, because he doesn’t want to make you cry or upset over bodily changes. So he’ll call one of us or email us whenever you get all sad about your boobies getting bigger and whatnot.”

 

“God, he’s such a girl sometimes,” Melanie shook her head, despite the smile that graced her face.

 

“He also knows that we’re out shopping for you,” Nyota said, as they stepped into the shop. “And he said that he would be perfectly pleased if you came out in a cotton nightgown that came up to your neck. Just as long as you’re comfortable, he doesn’t care what you wear to bed.”

 

They skimmed through the racks of yoga pants and tops, picking out a few things here and there that Melanie liked and needed for her ever changing body.

 

“What about jeans?” Nyota asked, picking up a pair of maternity skinny jeans. “These would make your butt all nice and Chris wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off you.”

 

Melanie snorted, “I don’t know,” she sighed. “I’m kinda over jeans at this point, since they make me feel like I’m bursting at the seams. I just pull on leggings, yoga pants or shorts these days.”

 

“How about sweaters? These are cute!” Nyota squealed, picking up a heavy, cable knit top. “Oh god, this is so soft!”

 

“You should get Spock to knock you up,” Melanie suggested, taking the sweater from her. “ _You_ would rock all of these clothes with no problem, with your already slim figure.”

 

Nyota snorted, “Spock and I aren’t having kids until we have everything settled with the bakery and we get hitched,” she said, skimming through the rest of the sweaters. “We wanna see how it goes with the bakery first.”

 

Melanie nodded, “That makes sense,” she agreed. “What would happen if the bakery doesn’t do well? Even though people would be insane not to come there!”

 

“We decided that if the bakery doesn’t work out, that we’ll just move back to Seattle,” Nyota shrugged. “Eventually you, Chris and the kids are gonna move back and I do miss being around you guys all the time.”

 

“We miss being around everyone too,” Melanie sighed. “Len and Jim found a house for us, that might be the one.”

 

Nyota gasped, “Really?”

 

Melanie nodded, “Chris is gonna fly out sometime in the next two weeks to take a look at it,” she said. “By Ny! This house has _everything_ we’ve been talking about, plus more. The only thing we would probably need is a pool, but Chris suggested that a little tiny kiddie pool from Wal-Mart would be good enough for the kids.”

 

“God I hope it’s the one,” Nyota said, as they moved to a rack of dresses. “I know you two want to get out of here so bad.”

 

“Just think,” Melanie smiled. “In five years we could all be back in Seattle, raising our kids together and us girls driving our husbands up the wall!”

 

Nyota giggled, “Our kids will all go to the same school together,” she smiled. “Oh god, I really need that to happen, because I’m tired of the these rude suburban moms that live in our town. They hate me because I’m American.”

 

They headed towards the sleepwear and undergarment department, “Then I guess you two better start planning on expanding that bakery business,” Melanie smiled. “Okay, lets find something that will make me comfortable and make my husband drool.”

 

………….

 

Charlotte babbled as Chris unlocked the front door to the apartment, hugging Spock tightly as he held her.

 

“It is fascinating how affectionate Charlotte is,” Spock observed, as the two year old smiled at him. “Most children aren’t affectionate like this with someone they hardly know.

 

“That’s because she’s gotten used to you,” Chris said, pushing the door open. “Charlie loves everyone that comes into this place, Spock. You should’ve seen her when the cable guy came last week to fix the box in the living room. Mel had to put the gate up in the kitchen, so the poor guy could get his work done.”

 

“Boogie!” Charlotte chirped, as Spock carried her into the living room. “Boogie!”

 

Spock managed a small, yet tight smile, as Charlotte squealed. “I’ll go check to see if the girls are home,” Chris said. “If you want, you can put her in the playpen and turn the television on for her.”

 

Making his way down the hall, Chris shrugged out of his jacket and knocked on the bedroom door.  “Mel? Nyota?” he called out, hearing the giggling on the other side of the door. “We’re home.”

 

“Come in, darling!” Melanie cooed, before giggling again. “We’re decent!”

 

With a snort, Chris pushed the door open and paused. “W-wow,” he managed, as Melanie turned around to look at him. “You.. you cut your hair?”

 

Melanie blushed, running her fingers through her now short hair. “Spur of the moment,” she shrugged, as Nyota grinned. “We went shopping and it was getting in the way.. so Nyota and I got those hair scissors from the pharmacy and she cut off like ten inches.”

 

“I’ve never seen you with short hair,” he said, coming up to her.

 

“Do you like it?” Melanie asked, chewing on her lip.

 

Chris reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, “You look gorgeous,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. “Very sexy,” he whispered, making her giggle.

 

He then looked over at Nyota, “You did good,” he nodded.

 

“Think of how quick it’ll take her to get ready in the morning,” Nyota giggled. “By the time you have the babies, it’ll be a bit longer, but more manageable.”

 

“I feel like I’ve lost twenty pounds,” Melanie sighed, as Chris wrapped his arm around her waist. “I don’t even have to go to a salon anymore to get my hair done. You could just fly out to wherever we are and cut it for me.”

 

Chris chuckled and spotted the bags on the bed, “Have fun with your shopping?” he asked.

 

“Your wife is going to be the hottest chick on this island,” Nyota sighed, moving to the closet. “Comfortable, stylish and hip.”

 

Melanie giggled, “I got enough clothes to last me from now til when I push them out,” she said, rubbing her belly. “I also got a little something for the both of us to enjoy.”

 

“Don’t tease me,” Chris groaned, burying his face into the crook of her shoulder. “We have guests and Charlie’s still awake.”

 

Nyota grabbed a handful of hangers, “Don’t let me stop you,” she said, moving back to the bed. “I kinda wanna see how you two do it with that belly there.”

 

Chris coughed in shock, while Melanie snorted. “You wanna?” she asked, craning her neck back to look at him. “That’s actually really hot, now that I think of it.”

 

“Melanie Rose,” he warned, blushing deeply.

 

“I’m teasing,” she laughed, patting his arm. “Maybe when I drop all this weight, Nyota and I could get it on. And if you’re very good, I’ll let you watch.”

 

Nyota snorted as Chris untangled himself from her, “You’re so bad,” she said, slipping a sweater onto a hanger. “Don’t rile him up! You’ll never make it out of bed tomorrow morning if you put ideas like that in his head.”

 

“I’m going to check on Charlie and call Mom and Dad,” he said, kissing her cheek. “I think Jo’s with them still, unless Len and Jim went to pick her up.”

 

“Kay,” Melanie sighed, as she moved back to the bed. “I’m gonna change into something comfortable and put all this stuff away.”

 

He nodded and moved back to the door, “Are you guys hungry?” he asked, watching as Melanie picked up a pair of blue yoga pants from the laundry basket. “Or are you still full from lunch.”

 

“I’m starving, “Melanie shrugged, as if it was no big deal.

 

“Well, I know you are,” Chris chuckled, as she scowled at him. “I’ll see what we have left over from yesterday.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I’m good,” Nyota smiled. “I’ll just get something to drink when I come out.”

 

“Okay,” Chris said, as he stepped into the hall. “Don’t get crazy.”

 

The girls giggled as he closed the door, shaking his head. “Gonna be the death of me,” he muttered, making his way back towards the living room.


	30. Chapter 30

Melanie sighed as Charlotte raced out of the bedroom, screeching as she went. Two weeks after her party, Chris flew out to Seattle for a long weekend to see the house that Jim and Leonard found for them, hoping that their hunt would be over by the time Sunday night came.

 

“Charlotte Anne!” Melanie shouted, as the toddler screeched. “I swear to god, when Daddy calls later you’re in big trouble!”

 

It was an early Saturday morning, just fifteen hours since Chris left Manhattan on a red-eye to Seattle, leaving Melanie with a grumpy toddler. Almost six months into her pregnancy, Melanie was ready to call it quits and beg for mandatory bed rest and hand the fireball of a little girl to Alice and Richard.

 

Callie and Claude rushed past her to the bedroom, their ears flattened back and their tails nearly between their legs. “I’m sorry!” Melanie sighed, as they disappeared. “Dammit.”

 

A loud thud followed by a series of shrill screams that followed, made Melanie panic, as she rushed into the living room. Lying on her belly, Charlotte was hysterical crying, her little face turning into a deep shade of red.

 

“Oh baby,” she gasped, moving to pick her up. “What happened?”

 

Turning her around in her arms, Melanie gasped at the sight of blood near her hairline.

  
“Shit,” she gasped, quickly moving into the kitchen. “Okay, okay! Mommy’s here!”

 

Grabbing a dishtowel out of the drawer, Melanie sat Charlotte on the counter and quickly wet the towel, before gently pressing it against her head. The pressure made Charlotte scream even louder, and Melanie began to panic.

 

“Let’s get you’re shoes and jacket,” she said, picking her up. “Mommy’s gonna take you to the doctor and we’re gonna get your boo boo checked out.”

 

As she carried Charlotte down the hall to her bedroom, Melanie silently prayed for the weekend to close and for her husband to come home as soon as possible.

 

…………..

 

After waiting for twenty minutes in the waiting room in the pediatrics emergency room, Melanie and Charlotte were called back into an exam room by a nurse. After pulling on an exam gown, Melanie sat Charlotte up on the table and held her, trying her best to calm her down. A light knock on the door startled her, as the doctor came in with a chart.

 

“Hello,” he smiled softly, his English accent deep and somewhat soothing. “I’m Doctor John Harrison.”

 

Melanie took his outstretched hand and gave him a tired smile, “Melanie Pike,” she nodded.

 

“And who do we have here?” he asked, moving to the exam table.

 

“This is Charlotte,” Melanie replied, rubbing the toddler’s back. “Charlie, the nice doctor man is going to look at you.”

 

Setting the chart down on the counter, John read through the quick notes that the nurse typed up and nodded. “So what exactly happen?” he asked, grabbing a pair of gloves out of the box.

 

Melanie sighed, “She’s taken on the role of a runner,” she shook her head. “My husband left yesterday to look at a house in Seattle for us, and she’s been really fussy since he left.”

 

He nodded, “Did she trip over something?” he asked, pushing the stood over to the exam table with his foot. “A toy, perhaps?”

 

“I honestly don’t know,” Melanie sighed. “I was still in the hallway coming when I heard a thud, followed by her screaming. By the time I got into the living room, she was on her tummy and I didn’t see the blood until I picked her up.”

 

“Well lets take a look and see what the damage is,” he said, moving closer to the exam table.  “Hello Miss Charlotte,” he smiled. “Can I take a look at your forehead?”

 

Easing her down gently, Melanie rubbed her feet, while John lightly pressed around the open cut. Charlotte wiggled about, crying as he pressed too close to the tender wound, which began to form a bump.

 

“I want to get a CT scan just to make sure there’s no internal bleeding,” he said, pulling the gloves off. “She’ll most likely need stiches and maybe a bowl of ice cream, but I want to make sure it’s nothing too serious before I send you home.”

 

Melanie sighed, “Thank you,” she shook her head. “Usually when it’s just me and her, we don’t have these kinds of accidents. It’s usually me chasing her around the apartment to get her clothes back on.”

 

John chuckled, “These things happen,” he nodded, scribbling down a few things on the chart. “I’m going to get that request for the CT in now and I should have you two out of here within an hour or two.”

 

Once John left the room, Melanie sighed and sat down on the stool, rubbing her hand across Charlotte’s tummy.

 

‘You gave me a good scare,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry that you fell down, baby. I know you miss Daddy, but he’s gonna be home before you know it.

 

Charlotte whined as she clutched her stuffed Nemo toy, “Mama!” she cried, kicking her feet.

 

“The nice doctor man is going to look at your head again and then we’ll go home,” she promised, kissing her tiny fingers. “Then we’ll call Daddy and tell him what happened.”

 

When the nurse came in ten minutes later, Melanie carried Charlotte out of the exam room and down the hall to the CT room, hoping that everything would be alright.

 

…………

 

By the time they got home, it was three in the afternoon, and Charlotte was out cold. Changing her diaper and pulling on a pair of pajamas, Melanie carried her into the bedroom and laid her down in the middle of the bed, before pulling her princess blanket up to cover her. Pulling off her own boots, Melanie grabbed her cellphone and quickly dialed Chris’s, standing by the window as the call went through.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Chris?”

 

“Hi Honey!” he greeted, happy to hear her voice. “How are you?”

 

Melanie sighed, “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Is Charlie giving you a hard time again?”

 

“Well,” she glanced at the sleeping toddler in their bed. “Don’t get mad.”

 

“Don’t get mad?” he asked. “Mel, what’s wrong? Did she break something in the house?”

 

Chewing on her lip, Melanie slowly made her way over to the chair in the corner of the room and sat down. “This morning, while I was getting her ready for the day, Charlie had a temper tantrum,” she started. “She tried jumping off the bed, which thankfully I stopped her.”

 

“Oh dear,” he sighed.

 

“Anyways, she took off out of the room and went into the living room,” Melanie continued, her foot twitching against the carpet. “I was following her, but she’s too fast for me at this rate, and I heard a loud thud and she was screaming.”

 

“Mel?” Chris started, before she cut him off again.

 

“By the time I got into the living room, she was on the floor crying,” her voice growing frantic. “I picked her up and she had blood on her forehead and I got scared, so I took her to the hospital and they did a CT, but everything was fine.”

 

There was silence on the other end of the line, “They gave her two stiches and she’ll be back to her normal self by Monday. I have to take her to a follow up by Friday with the Doctor.” she said, looking down at her lap. “Chris?”

 

“Why didn’t you call me earlier?” he asked, this voice hardening.

 

“I was freaking out!” Melanie gasped. “I figured you’d be looking at the house or sleeping, so I quickly got her ready and took a taxi down to the hospital.”

 

He sighed, “Dammit,” he muttered. “I could’ve gotten the first flight out of here to come home!”

 

“By the time you would’ve landed, we would’ve been home already!” Melanie said, as she got up from the chair. “Chris, I promise you, she’s fine! I quickly got her to the ER and I had the ER Doctor and one of the Neurosurgeons double check her scans to make sure!”

 

“That’s not the point!” he shouted. “Jesus Mel!”

 

Shaking her head, Melanie paced the hallway and tried her best to remain calm. “Do not yell at me,” she hissed. “You’re making it sound like she fell down the fucking stairs, Chris!”

 

“Well thank fucking god it wasn’t the stairs!”

 

“I can’t do this right now,” Melanie shook her head. “You call me when you’ve calmed the fuck down!”

 

Pulling the phone away from her ear, Melanie ignored the shouting on the other end and hung up. Running her hands across her face, Melanie gripped her hair and cursed. Then, turning on her heel, she made her way back into the bedroom and crawled under the blankets, wrapping herself around Charlotte. That night, she didn’t sleep.

 

……….

When Chris stepped into the apartment Monday afternoon, Charlotte and Melanie were sitting on the living room floor, surrounded by her toys. 

“What noise does a puppy make?” Melanie asked, holding the stuffed Dalmatian in her hand. “Does he go.. Arf! Arf!”

 

Charlotte squealed and reached out for the toy, just as the locks turned in the door. “Pa!” she squealed, moving to run past Melanie.

 

Luckily, her reflexes were on point that day, as she quickly wrapped her arms around Charlotte’s waist. “No running,” she shook her head, as Charlotte squirmed.

 

A few seconds later, Chris appeared by the sofa, his eyes only on Charlotte and she beamed at him. “PA! PA!” she shrieked, bouncing on her toes.

 

Bending down, Chris scooped her up and held her close, placing kisses all over her face as he carried her into the kitchen. Stung, Melanie pushed herself up off the floor and slowly followed after them, watching as he held Charlotte.

 

“Look at your boo boo,” he gasped, gently touching the band-aid covered cut. “Did the doctor fix it for you?”

 

“Pa! Pa!” she pulled at his nose. “Owie!”

 

Melanie leaned against the counter, trying to ignore the mixture of panic and sadness, as her husband simply ignored her presence. “Doctor Harrison called earlier,” she said, watching as Charlotte hugged Chris in a death grip. “She’s got an appointment for Friday at Lenox Hill at eleven.”

 

He simply nodded, making no motion to speak to her. “Well,” she slapped her hands against her thighs. “I better get ready for my appointment with Laura.”

 

“Mama,” Charlotte held her hand out to her. “Mama!”

 

“You play with Daddy,” Melanie said, managing a small smile. “Mama’s gotta get her belly looked at.”

 

When Chris didn’t make any eye contact with her, Melanie felt her heart break, as she turned and went down the hall to their bedroom to get ready. By the time she came out, Chris and Charlotte were on the floor with her toys, engrossed with a game.

 

“I’ll see you later,” she said, grabbing her bag and keys.

 

“Mama!” Charlotte cried out, as Chris tried to get her attention with her doll.

 

Melanie nodded, “I’ll be back later, Charlie,” she said, trying to choke back a sob. “Be good for Daddy.”

 

Closing the door behind her, Melanie could hear Charlotte crying out for her to come back. Taking a deep, shuddery breath, Melanie made her way down the three flights of stairs and out into the chilly October afternoon.

 

……..

 

“Where’s the Daddy?” Laura asked, as she set the monitor up for the ultrasound. “I’m surprised he’s not glued to your side!”

 

Melanie managed a small smile, “He just got back from Seattle today,” she said, as Laura pulled up the image of the twins. “Charlie’s missed him, so he’s at home playing with her.”

 

Laura nodded, “Are you okay?” she asked, with a frown. “You seem down.”

 

“Just tired,” Melanie shrugged, before turning her attention back to the screen. “So, how do they look today?”

 

Laura blinked and turned to look at the screen, “Well, you’re little girl is growing right on target,” She said, tapping at the controls. “They both look small here, but at twenty three weeks, you technically have a long way to go.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Any chance of seeing the sex for the other one?” she asked. “I’m getting tired of all the phone calls for this stupid bet.”

 

“Let’s see if we can get a peek,” Laura grinned, moving the wand around on her belly.

 

After a few minutes, she smiled and nodded. “Today’s the day!” she beamed. “Do you want me to tell you now or do you want to wait until Chris is here next week?”

 

Melanie shrugged, “I could always tell him over dinner later,” she said, trying to push out the thought of him not caring anymore. “Or you could print all that info out like we did with Charlotte and he can open it if he wants.”

 

Laura nodded slowly, “Okay,” she said, not wanting to push the subject any further. “I’ll print it out and when you guys are ready, you can open it.”

 

Cleaning off her belly, Melanie got dressed and waited for the paperwork by the front desk, making her appointment for the following week. Once Laura brought up the envelope, Melanie managed a small smile and slipped her coat on. Saying her goodbyes, she quickly rushed out of the office, ignoring the worried looks from her doctor and the nurses.

 


	31. Chapter 31

By Wednesday, Melanie was exhausted and over-emotional. No matter what she did, Chris refused to speak to her nor did he allow Charlotte alone with her. When it was time for him to go to work, Alice would conveniently stop by and spend the evenings with her and the toddler, much to Melanie’s annoyance.

 

“I might as well start packing my shit,” Melanie said, as she tossed the plastic bowls into the sink. “I’ve gone and fucked everything up.”

 

Alice shook her head, “Just give him some time to cool down,” she said, as Charlotte babbled on her lap. “He’s feeling guilty because he wasn’t here.”

 

Melanie shook her head, “I get that, Alice,” she snapped. “But he hasn’t said one fucking thing to me since I called on Saturday and he’s been home since Monday! And he clearly doesn’t trust me enough to change her goddamn diaper or to sit home with her while he works!”

 

“Honey, you need to calm down,” Alice said. “For your sake and for the babies.”

 

“I’m calling my brother,” Melanie shook her head, grabbing the cellphone off the counter. “If Chris is going to hold this against me forever, then I don’t want to stay here. I’ll book the first stupid flight out of Manhattan and sign over rights and whatever else.”

 

Alice groaned, “Melanie!” she yelled, as the blonde stormed down the hallway to her bedroom. “Oh boy, Charlie. Your Mommy and Daddy are too goddamn crazy.”

 

………

 

By the time Chris came in after one, Alice was waiting for him in the kitchen, angry and disappointed. After a stern lecture, which ended with her in demanding that he get his head out of his ass, she left him alone to fix up the “ridiculous” fight for the sake of his marriage and for his children.

 

Checking on Charlotte, he was relieved to find her tucked into bed and sound asleep. Crossing the hallway, Chris lightly knocked on the door, before pushing it open.

 

“Mel?” he whispered, stepping into the room. “Mellie?”

 

The bed was empty and unmade, much to his surprise, despite the suitcase that laid on the floor against the closet, partially packed. Turning on his heels, Chris made his way down the hall to the guestroom, finding the lamp next to the bed on and Melanie sitting on the bed with her phone.

 

“What are you doing in here?” he asked, startling her. “Sorry.”

 

She blinked, “I’m going to bed,” she replied coolly. “Figured it would make things _easier_ for you, since you can’t stand the sight of me.”

 

Chris watched as she pulled her feet up and under the blankets, before settling down against the pillows. “Close the door,” she said, rolling over to face the window.

 

“Mel,” he sighed, stepping into the room. “Why is there a suitcase on the floor by our closet?”

 

She ignored him, staring at the window. “Dammit Mel,” he huffed, closing the door behind him. “Why is there a suitcase on the floor in our room?”

 

“Because I’m going away,” she snapped. “I called my brother and he said I could stay with them until the babies are born.”

 

Chris shook his head, “You’re leaving?” he asked, as she shifted under the blankets.

 

“Yes, Christopher,” she snapped. “I’m going _home,_ to live with people that actually trust me with my fucking children.”

 

“You’re not leaving!” Chris shouted. “Are you insane?!”

 

She sat up, “Don’t worry, you can send me the divorce papers once I get there and you can have Charlie and these two once I have them. It’s so fucking obvious that I can’t be trusted with my own children and I’m sure you’ll tell a judge that _I_ was the one that made Charlie fall down the other day!”

 

Chris groaned, “Melanie, you’re not leaving and we’re not getting divorced,” he said, as she slowly climbed out of bed. “Jesus Christ, Mel!”

 

“No fuck you!” she snapped. “How DARE you tell ME that I can’t leave! You haven’t spoken to me or even LOOKED at me since you got home! Don’t you dare suddenly act like you fucking love me now, when you can’t even let me sit in a room alone with my own baby!”

 

“Look, I’m sorry!” he exclaimed. “But what the fuck do you want me to do? Do you have any idea what I was thinking after I got off the phone with you on Saturday? How scared I was when you told me Charlotte had to be rushed to the emergency room?”

 

She shook her head, “So you ignore me for four fucking days?” she asked. “If it was one day, fine! But FOUR!”

 

“You could’ve fucking called me in the taxi, Mel!” he snapped. “I’m her Father!”

 

“Oh right! Just like I should’ve been hot on her fucking heels as she was running through the apartment!” she shook her head. “Just like it’s my fault that I got pregnant earlier than expected with twins no less! And now I’m the reason why we have to pack up and move across country in a fucking rush! How about we just blame _me_ for being the reason why we’re out here to begin with! I’m sure you’d LOVE that!”

 

Chris shook his head, “Melanie,” he said softly, as she started to cry.

 

“What if were me?” she asked, looking up at him. “Hm? What if it was me that fell and not her? Did you really expect to get on a plane and be back here within an hour? By the time we got home, she was fine! Do you really think so little of me, that I would let them discharge her without making sure that she was safe? I stayed up for two nights straight, making sure that she was still _breathing_ by the time you got home, Chris.”

 

“Oh honey,” he shook his head, making his way towards her. “I’m sorry.”

 

She pushed his hands away, “No!” she sobbed. “Don’t you touch me!”

 

He ignored her, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m sorry,” he shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Mel.”

 

Melanie fell into his embrace, sobbing heavily against his shoulder as he rubbed her back. “I was so scared,” she hiccupped. “Oh god, when I picked her up and saw the blood I just wanted to die.”

 

“Come on,” he said, gently steering her out of the room. “Let’s go wash your face and lay down.”

 

Making their way into the bathroom, Chris grabbed a washcloth out of the wicker basket and ran it under the faucet. Wringing it out, he gently wiped her face down, before drying it with a towel from the rack. Turning the light off, he guided her towards the bed and helped her in, puling the blankets up to her chin, before moving back to the other side. Once he stripped out of his clothes, pulling on a pair of sweatpants, Chris climbed into his side of the bed and slid under the covers.

 

Wrapping his arm around her, Chris pulled her close and rested his chin on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he whispered again, as she lay tense in his arms. “Tomorrow we’ll talk and if you really want to leave…” he trailed off.

 

She stared at the wall, listening to him breathe in and out slowly. “Then I guess I can’t stop you, no matter how hard I want to.”

 

…………

 

“Charlie, Charlie,” Melanie cooed, as she sat on the sofa with the toddler in her lap. “You’re stinky.”

 

Charlotte smiled, “Mama! ‘Nanas!”

 

Melanie shook her head, “You’re a little monkey girl,” she kissed her nose. “I think we should dress you up as a monkey for Halloween!”

 

The toddler squealed as she wiggled on her lap, before letting out a foul smelling fart.

 

“Oh god,” Melanie gagged. “You stinky little thing! Just like your Daddy!”

 

Charlotte giggled, as she climbed all over Melanie, trying to move off the sofa in the process.

 

“No, no, no,” Melanie shook her head, kissing her on the cheek. “Cuddle with Mama! Mama needs a hug.”

 

As they played, Chris slowly made his way out into the living room, pausing to watch them. At that point, Melanie was trying to “eat” Charlotte’s fingers, which made the little girl squeal in delight, before blowing kisses against her tummy.

 

“I think today we’ll skip the ‘Nanas,” she said to her, as Charlotte babbled. “You keep fartin’ and we wont be able to air out this place.”

 

Chris snorted, which caught their attention quickly. Charlotte smiled at held her hand out to him, while Melanie looked at him cautiously.

 

“Are you stinkin’ up the place?” he asked, making his way over to the sofa that they sat on. “Do you have to go potty?”

 

Charlotte squealed and sat down on Melanie’s lap, trying to chew on Melanie’s fingers as she held her.

 

“She was up,” Melanie said quietly, looking down at her. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

 

“Mel,” he started, before pausing. “You know I can’t keep you from taking care of Charlie.”

 

She ran her fingers through Charlotte’s hair, avoiding the tender spot that was still covered with a band-aid.

 

“I’m an asshole,” Chris stated, earning a small nod from Melanie. “I don’t want you to leave, Mel. And I don’t want to divorce you and take the kids from you.”

 

“Are you sure?” she asked. “Because the way you’ve been acting, tells a different story.”

 

He nodded, “You’re their Mother,” he said, looking over at her. “You’re my wife and I love you. Things like this happen, but I’m too stubborn and overprotective to get that through my head.”

 

“That you are,” she sighed, finally turning to look at him. “I want to be able to be alone with her, Chris. Do you know how hurtful it was to have Alice come all the way up here to babysit me? And for you to ignore me and not even look me in the eye?”

 

“I know,” he shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

 

Melanie sighed, “You need to believe in me, Chris. I can’t live a life in which you don’t trust me with my own kids.”

 

Chris nodded and took her hand into his, “ I do believe in you,” he insisted. “I know it looks like I don’t, but I do. When I got off the phone with you that morning, I went and looked up everything I could online about head injuries in toddlers. The shit I read _freaked_ me out, Mel. All these horror stories about how these babies would be fine and then by the end of the week, they died from blood clots and all this other stuff.”

 

“Why do you think I took her to the hospital so fast?” she asked. “Think of all those adults that fall in their showers and die later, after refusing to get checked out!”

 

“I just don’t like leaving you two alone for so long like that,” he shook his head. “It’s one thing when I’m at work or at the store. But across country? That’s a whole different story, especially with you being pregnant and dealing with a hyperactive toddler.”

 

Melanie leaned in and rested her head against his shoulder, “If I could do it, I would be up her ass at all times,” she said. “But I also have to think about two babies, Chris. It’s not about Charlotte anymore.”

 

“I know and I realize that now. When you asked me what would happen if the roles were reversed and it was you that fell instead, I just can’t allow myself to get like that with you,” he sighed, wrapping his arm around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Can you ever forgive me for being an asshole?”

 

“Can you forgive me?” she asked. “And by that I mean, will you let me sit in a room alone with her and not force our friends to babysit me?”

 

He nodded, “I most certainly can,” he promised, as she looked up at him. “I just need to learn how to calm down, before I kill myself with a heart attack. Or make you that upset that you would leave. ”

 

Melanie bit her lip and nodded, “Yes, you do,” she agreed.

 

“I love you,” he said gently, cupping the ide of her face. “I do and I’m so sorry for making you think that I didn’t love you anymore.”

 

“I love you too, you big giant asshole,” she snorted.

 

Chris chuckled and leaned in for a kiss, rubbing the back of her neck with his fingers. Charlotte watched quietly as they kissed, squealing as another fart ripped from her.

 

“Oh my god!” Chris cried out, pulling his shirt up to cover his nose. “Charlotte Anne!”

 

Melanie gagged, “Oh god!” she screeched, moving to set her down on Chris’s lap. “I can’t!”

 

She moved to the window and pulled it open, using one hand to air out the stench, while the other covered her nose. “Jesus Christ! She takes after you!” she yelled, as Charlotte giggled.

  
Chris began to laugh, hugging the gassy toddler to his chest. “Oh baby girl,” he shook his head. “What are we going to do with you?”

 

……….

By Friday afternoon, Charlotte was happily sitting in her stroller, as her parents pushed her down the busy sidewalk. Melanie fixed the blanket that kept the toddler warm and smiled, as she held onto her Nemo toy.

 

“A tiny little scar,” Chris sighed, as Melanie wrapped her arm through his. “It’ll give her character.”

 

“It’ll be a great story to tell her kids,” Melanie nodded. “She could always get bangs to cover it once she’s older.”

 

Chris snorted, “If she’s anything like me, she’ll wear that scar proudly,” he sighed, shaking his head. “That guy was very weird. The doctor, I mean.”

 

Melanie shrugged, “He wasn’t so bad,” she said, pulling her coat up around her belly. “At least he laughed when she farted.”

 

“Thank god she didn’t have a diarrhea explosion like last night,” he shuddered. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to get her Halloween costume today?”

 

“She doesn’t have to try it on,” Melanie insisted. “I already picked it out and it’s waiting for pick up at the store. I got her the next size up and it’s not like we’re going tick or treating.”

 

They waited at the corner for the light, “So then why are we getting a costume?” he asked.

 

“So we can take pictures and send them to our friends?” Melanie shrugged. “Then after that, we can stop at the store and get that Pedialyte stuff that Len was talking about.”

 

“Maybe we should start potty-training her,” he shrugged. “It’s going to get expensive getting diapers for three kids and maybe we’ve kept Charlie in diapers for too long now.”

 

Melanie snorted, “She’s fussy to begin with, Chris. Potty training is going to age you about ten years.”

 

He rolled his eyes, “How about you let her watch you go to the bathroom?” he suggested. “Maybe it’ll grab her attention and she’ll want to try it.”

 

“She’s not going to like the toilet, Chris,” Melanie shook her head, as they reached the costume store. “We have to get those potty chairs for kids, which needs to be cleaned out after every use.”

 

“Really?” he frowned, as she nodded. “What about those things you strap onto the toilet?”

 

Melanie pulled the door open so he could push the stroller inside. “Let’s do some research online before we actually do this,” she said, making her way to the counter. “If you really want to try the potty training, we need to go into this with some knowledge first.”

 

Chris nodded, “Okay,” he sighed, moving around the stroller to peek down at Charlotte. “You warm enough, munchkin?”

 

“Pa!” she reached up for him, her Nemo toy nestled against her chest.

 

Melanie was in the middle of paying for Charlotte’s costume, when Chris noticed the familiar smell coming from Charlotte.

 

“Oh shit,” he muttered, tucking the blanket in around her. “Mel, you better hurry up,” he said, standing. “I think she just shit herself.”

 

Turning around, Melanie looked down at Charlotte and noticed the look of discomfort on her face. “Oh man,” she sighed, before turning to sign the credit slip. “Thank you!

 

Grabbing the shopping bag, Melanie and Chris quickly pushed the stroller out of the store and onto the sidewalk.

 

“You take her home and put her in the bath,” Melanie said, setting the bag under the stroller. “I’ll run down to the store to get that stuff.”

 

Giving him a quick kiss, they went their separate ways; Melanie to the store and Chris to the apartment.

 

“Don’t cry,” Chris said, as Charlotte began to whimper. “I know your tummy is all funny, but we’re going to make it better.”

 

 


	32. Chapter 32

“So, I have some good news,” Chris said, as he set a glass of water down on the table.

 

Melanie looked up from her bowl of pasta and smiled, “Yeah?” she asked, as he sat back down in his seat. “You’re finally letting me use handcuffs on you?”

 

He snorted, “No,” he shook his head, earning a pout from her. “It’s actually about the house in Seattle.”

 

Two weeks after the disastrous trip to the emergency room and the four-day silent treatment, Chris and Melanie were taking slow steps to move back to life before shit hit the fan. Between potty training Charlotte, which proved to be a disaster, and prepping for her second Halloween, house hunting wasn’t  a big topic for discussion.

 

“Is the house in bad condition?” she asked, picking up her glass.

  
“No,” he shook his head. “I put an offer in.”

 

Melanie choked, spilling water down the front of her shirt. Charlotte squealed from her highchair, slapping her hands down on the tray with delight as Melanie wiped her face with a napkin.

 

“Wuh?” she asked, coughing.

 

Chris nodded, “It was either put an offer in or have someone else snatch it up,” he shrugged. “I put in a little more than what they were asking, but Mel.. this house is it.”

 

“Are you sure?” she asked. “How much more did you put down? It was two-hundred and thirty thousand dollars, which was a lot less than what the relator site had.”

 

“I put what the site said,” he shrugged. “Two-fifty and a silent prayer that we get a call soon.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I hope so too,” she nodded. “This place is getting smaller and smaller as each day goes by.”

 

“Y-you’re not mad that I went and put the money down?” he asked, as she pierced a forkful of Penne.

 

She shook her head, “I’m actually relieved,” she said, chewing. “Hopefully they’ll call before Thanksgiving and we can see about getting out of here before Christmas.”

 

“Pa!” Charlotte squeaked, holding up her plastic fork.

 

“Eat your dinner,” he said, reaching over to wipe her face with a napkin. “Messy!”

 

Melanie sat back in the chair and sighed, “Since we’re having announcements,” she smiled. “I have one too.”

 

“Uh oh,” Chris tutted, looking at Charlotte. “What did you and Mommy do now? Did you buy a car?”

 

She giggled and stood up from the table, moving to her bag that sat on the counter. Rifling around through the mess, she pulled out the envelope and brought it back to the table, sitting down in the chair next to Chris.

 

“This is for you,” She said, handing it over. “Well, for us, but mostly for you.”

 

He frowned, taking the envelope from her. “Is it, a paid vacation to Hawaii?” he asked, pulling the papers out. “All by myself?”

 

Melanie elbowed him, “If anyone’s going to Hawaii it’s me,” she snorted. “I’ll take Gaila and Nyota and we’ll raid the Spa’s.”

 

“I don’t want to miss out on the bikini’s,” he pouted, unfolding the documents. “These look.. medical related.”

 

She watched as he skimmed the information that Laura had printed out from her last visit, which labeled the size and other stats of the twins. Just like all other visits, it listed the first twin as female and the other empty box was now labeled.

 

“Um..” Chris frowned, staring at the paper. “Did you look at this?”

 

“Nope,” Melanie shook her head. “I wasn’t planning on opening it or telling you, because this was taken the day you came home and we weren’t talking.”

 

Chris turned to look at her, “Oh,” he nodded. “Do you want to know what it says?”

 

She shrugged, “We’ll have to tell the others eventually,” she sighed. “All that money.”

 

“Well, it looks like we’ll be having _three_ princesses,” he said, smiling.

 

“Really?” Melanie gasped, as Chris turned to show her the paper. “Oh my god!”

 

Sure enough, the box next to baby number two was finally filled with the correct gender: _female._ “Hikaru’s going to be so happy! And over a thousand dollars richer! ”

 

“And I’m gonna need a second job,” Chris mumbled, as he pulled her into a hug. “Double the clothes, accessories, and toys. Proms and weddings.”

 

Melanie laughed as she wrapped her arms around him, “We could always try for another in a few years,” she shrugged. “Maybe a boy?”

 

Chris chuckled, “Either way, I would be happy no matter what,” he said, looking up at her. “You wanna celebrate later? After Charlie goes down for bed?”

 

“Hmmm,” Melanie sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “Well, it’s been _two_ weeks.”

 

He snickered, pressing a kiss against her cheek. “I think we could celebrate a little,” she gasped, as his hand rested on her back. “I’ve missed you.”

 

“I’ve missed you too,” he groaned, kissing her on the lips. “Very, _very_ much.”

 

Caught up in a heavy make-out session, Charlotte was left sitting disgruntled and growing fussy. Taking her fork, the two year old managed to toss it onto the table, hitting Chris’s plate before landing on the tiny butter tray.

 

“Um,” Melanie snickered, as Chris turned to look at Charlotte. “Nice throw.”

 

“Pa! Up!” Charlotte demanded, frowning at him. “Up!”

 

He pulled the high chair closer to the tableside and tickled her lightly, “You better watch it,” he warned, as she wiggled under his fingers. “I’ll sick your sisters on you when they’re old enough to walk! And you wont like that!”

 

 

…………….

 

By Halloween, the following weekend, the couple and Charlotte spent a rainy day in the apartment eating, resting and playing. Dressed in her Monkey costume, Chris carried Charlotte around the apartment, swinging her up into the air.

 

“Next Halloween, you can be a little Owl,” he said, setting her down on the bed. “Hold your toy banana.”

 

Charlotte squealed and crawled up the bed, settling next to Melanie, where Nemo, Minnie and Mickey waited for her.

 

“How’s the shopping goin?” he asked, moving the bowl of candy over to sit down. “My goodness, you ate all that candy?”

 

She nodded, “Don’t worry,” she murmured, skimming through nursery designs. “I’ll be really good tomorrow.”

 

Chris sighed, “Hey, you’ve earned it,” he said, unwrapping a chocolate bar. “Thank god this one here can’t eat candy yet.”

 

Melanie laughed, “Soon,” she nodded, before handing the tablet over to him. “What do you think about Cinderella and Ariel?”

 

“Whatever happened to having them both share a nursery?” he asked, as he looked at the bedding for the cribs. “Do you really want to rush between two rooms when they’re both screaming in te middle of the night?”

 

She pouted, “But they’re both cute!” she insisted. “Chrissy!”

 

He scowled, “Don’t call me, Chrissy,” he shook his head. “Not when the baby’s here.”

 

Melanie giggled, “Well, which one do _you_ like?” she asked, as he skimmed through the other options.

 

“I say we go for Cindy,” he nodded. “They won’t have red hair and they’re not identical, so one of them is coming out blonde.”

 

She took the tablet back and sighed, “Okay,” she nodded. “But are we using the same bedding for both? I mean, Charlie’s theme was Belle and she was only one baby.”

 

Charlotte tossed Nemo at Chris, squealed at the “oof” he made in pure exaggeration. “So what’s another blonde princess?” he asked, handing the toy back to Charlotte. “Aurora and what’s the girl with the long hair?”

 

“Rapunzel?”

 

He nodded, “That was a cute movie,” he yawned. “Right Charlie? The lizard thingy was cute.”

 

Tapping the screen, Melanie did a quick search and smiled. “They have Aurora,” she said, turning to show him the bedding.

 

“Cindy and Rora,” Chris nodded. “Now we just have to wait for the call about the house, figure out our jobs, pack this place up and move.”

 

Melanie added the items into the shopping cart and turned the tablet off, setting it down on the nightstand. “We also need to think of names,” she yawned, putting the bowl of candy on the table. “And Godparents.”

 

“Hmmm,” he nodded, as Charlotte crawled over to him. “Charlie can pick names for them, right?”

 

“Pa!” she smacked his hands. “Poop!”

 

Chris opened his eyes and groaned, “Really?” he asked, as Charlotte fidgeted on the bed. “Okay, let’s go potty.”

Sitting up, Chris scooped the toddler into his arms and carried her into the bathroom, grabbing the potty trainer seat. “Think you can go potty in the big toilet?” he asked, as she watched him. “You’ll feel a lot better doing it this way.”

 

“Noooo!” she whined, as he unzipped the costume, pulling it off. “Pa!”

 

Melanie sighed, watching from the bed as Chris pulled the diaper off, chucking it onto the garbage. “I’ll sit right here,” he said, setting her down on the toilet. “Come on, Charlie. Just go potty and we can take a nap.”

 

Charlotte began to whine, as she wiggled on the toilet. “No! No!” she cried, trying to climb off.

 

“Charlotte, please,” he begged, holding her still. “If you hold it in, you’re tummy will hurt.”

 

Melanie got out of bed and made her way into the bathroom, carefully lowering herself onto the edge of the tub. “Do you want me to read you a story?” she asked, reaching for the basket near the wall. “Just like Mommy reads you stories when you take a bath?”

 

“Should we put something under her feet?” Chris frowned, taking note of the tiny toes that wiggled. “It said online that it makes them feel secure and helps when they have to push.”

 

“There’s a step stool in the hall closet,” she nodded, as Charlotte continued to whine.

 

Chris got up and made his way out of the bathroom, while Melanie opened up the book. She had just begun one of the many stories, when he came back with the step stool.

 

“Here we go,” he said gently, setting Charlotte’s feet down on the top rung. “When you have to go, you just push your feet down on this.”

 

“Might as well sit down and relax,” Melanie sighed, as Charlotte sat on the toilet. “This could take a while.”

 

………….

 

“We’ve been sitting her for an hour,” Chris mumbled, rubbing his eyes. “She’s probably constipated at this rate.”

 

Melanie sighed and looked at Charlotte, who sat quietly on the toilet, ready to conk out for a nap.

 

“Okay,” she nodded. “Let’s just put a diaper on her and do this tomorrow.”

 

Just as she was about to stand from her seat on the tub, Charlotte perked up and began to groan.

 

“Charlie?” Chris sat up, watching as her fast twisted up in concentration.

 

A little splash, followed by another, came from the bowl, as Charlotte pushed her feet down onto the step stool. Once the splashes ceased, Charlotte relaxed and blinked.

 

“Pa! Up!” she demanded, pointing at him. “Up!”

 

Chris quickly scrambled to his feet, while Melanie grabbed the baby wipes from the top of the toilet seat. Picking her up, Chris began to laugh.

 

“She did it!” he shook his head, as Charlotte babbled. “She went in the toilet!”

 

Melanie stood up and looked into the bowl, “Charlie!” she gasped. “You went potty in the toilet!”

 

Charlotte began to whine as Chris held her up over the toilet bowl, “Okay, let Mommy clean you up and we’ll get you dressed.”

 

Once she was wiped clean, the toilet flushed and re-dressed, Charlotte was placed into their bed.

 

“Thank god,” Chris groaned, as Melanie sat down next to him.

 

“Just because she went this one time, doesn’t mean she’ll do it every time,” Melanie warned. “I still think we should wait before we move her to underpants.”

 

Chris nodded, “So let’s keep her in diapers and once she gets the hang of it, we’ll move her to big girl pants.”

 

Melanie nodded and turned to look at Charlotte, who managed to pass out in all but five minutes. “Should we move her?” she asked, nodding to her. “I kinda want to lay in my bed and cuddle.”

 

He snorted, “I’ll take her,” he nodded, sitting up. “You just lay your butt down and relax.”

 

Carefully, Chris pulled the sleeping toddler into his arms and carried her across the hall, along with her toys. Pulling the blankets down, Melanie scooted across the mattress and settled on her side of the bed, waiting patiently for him to return. The exhaustion and cramp in her back from sitting on the edge of the bathtub proved to be too much for her, as she closed her eyes and relaxed under the heavy quilt. 


	33. Chapter 33

As October bled into November, brining chillier weather and rainy days, Melanie spent more time at home with Charlotte; weekly checkups and the Sunday shopping trip to the market were the only times she had her feet on concrete in Manhattan. Taking up Alice and Richard’s offer, the Pike’s sent Charlotte off to have an entire day to themselves, much to Melanie’s uncertainty.

 

Wanting to spend as much time with Charlotte before the arrival of the twins, the idea of letting the bubbly two year old to spend a full twenty-four hours outside of their apartment made her emotional. But when Chris offered to take her to lunch that consisted of a big, greasy cheeseburger and fries, Melanie quickly packed up a bag and asked Alice to come by an hour earlier than expected.

 

“I guess you’re set for the day then?” Chris chuckled, as Melanie wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I can’t believe you devoured half of that thing in the five minutes it’s been on the table.”

 

“Do you realize how hard it is to get a really good burger?” she asked, taking a sip of her water. “Plus, I’ve been really good this time around with my eating and exercising.”

 

Chris nodded, “I know,” he said. “Which is why I offered this over some healthy, organic shack that Laura wanted you to go to.”

 

Melanie giggled, “At least I don’t have to eat that shit everyday like Nyota,” she shook her head. “When she goes out alone, she gets fast food and wolfs it down in her car before going home.”

 

“I could never force someone to follow my eating lifestyle,” Chris shook his head, as he grabbed the bottle of ketchup off the table. “A tofu is disgusting.”

 

The waitress came by with a pitcher of water, refilling their glasses to the brim. “Everything good here?” she asked, eyeing their plates.

 

Chris nodded, “Yes, thank you,” he smiled.

 

“Could I get another pickle?” Melanie asked.

 

The waitress gave her an odd look before nodding, “Sure thing,” she said, putting a smile on her face.

 

Watching her go, Melanie scowled. “Did you see that look she gave me?” she asked, as Chris dipped a few fries into the ketchup. “I probably look like a goddamn cow in her eyes.”

 

“Who cares what she thinks,” Chris shrugged. “ _I_ think you look hot.

 

“Yes, I look _so_ hot in my frumpy house clothes,” she shook her head.

 

“You look _comfortable,”_ he corrected her. “Which makes you hot. In fact, I think you’re hot all the time. _Sexy_ even.”

 

Melanie giggled, “You keep playing your cards right and you might get lucky later,” she warned, as the waitress came back with her pickle. “Thank you.”

 

“I don’t have to play my cards,” Chris shook his head. “I always get lucky.”

 

…………….

 

By the time they returned the to apartment, stopping to look baby things and picking up ice-cream for later, a bitter chill filled the air as a storm came through. After calling the Barnett’s and talking to Charlotte on the phone, the couple changed into their most comfortable loungewear and curled up in bed to watch a movie.

 

“Hmm, I love it when you take a blanket out of the dryer and it’s still warm,” Melanie mumbled, as Chris rubbed her back. “It’s like sleeping in a heated pool.”

 

Chris snorted, “Sleepy?” he asked, as she yawned.

 

“Mmmhmmm,” she sighed, shifting her head on his chest. “What time is it?”

 

He glanced at the clock on the nightstand, “It’s a little after four,” he said, moving back to settled against the pillows. “Still full from lunch?”

 

“Yes,” she said a little too quickly, before looking up at him with a sheepish smile. “I can wait til later. I just want to stay in bed for now.”

 

The television was on mute as the movie played, long forgotten as soon as they climbed into bed. As the scheduled mid-afternoon nap began to kick in, the phone began to ring on the nightstand.

 

“Nooo,” Melanie whined, pulling the comforter over her head.

 

Chris sighed and reached for the phone, picking it up just before it went to the machine. “Hello?”

 

Melanie laid quietly as Chris spoke, exhausted and curious as to who was calling.

 

“Really? Oh wow, that’s wonderful!” Chris laughed. “Yeah, I’ll be sure to tell her! We’ll let you know by the end of the week. Thanks again. Bye.”

 

“Who was it?” Melanie asked, burrowed deep in the warmth of her cocoon.

 

“That was the relator,” he said, dropping the phone down next to him. “Guess who’s moving to Seattle.”

 

Melanie pushed the blankets down quickly, “What?”

 

Chris smiled, “Better call your brother, Mel,” he nodded. “We’re going home!”

 

…………

 

The next morning, after picking up Charlotte and announcing their news to Alice, Rich and McKayla, Melanie started the long process of packing.

 

“I just want to start now,” she whined, as Chris found her at her desk. “We’ve accumulated so much shit since we moved out here!”

 

Instead of arguing with her, Chris gave up and allowed her to clean out her desk and the closet that housed both Charlotte’s clothes and boxes that they never unpacked. By lunchtime, two-thirds of the paperwork had been organized for filing and for sending back to NYU; while a garbage bag sat by the front door with old pens, papers and other junk.

 

“You have so many boxes in that closet,” Melanie said, as Charlotte walked around the kitchen with her blanket. “You should go through them and make sure there’s no mice in there or something.”

 

“I will,” he nodded, setting Charlotte’s lunch down on the table. “You ready to eat Aurora?”

 

Charlotte babbled at him, clutching to the leg of his pants. “Up!”

 

Bending down, Chris scooped her up and placed her down in the high chair, tossing her blanket over the back of his chair. “We still have to let Laura know that we’re moving,” he said. “Are you sure you want to leave the first week of December?”

 

Melanie nodded, “We have a month,” she said, sitting down in front of Charlotte. “Len said it was fine to start sending our boxes to their house, now that the basement was been cleared out. The only things we need to carry on the plane are suitcases and valuables.”

 

“Did you let NYU know that you’re leaving?”

 

“I sent out an email to Dr. Singh to let him know,” she nodded, feeding Charlotte her macaroni and cheese. “I even emailed my old boss and he got back to me very quick, which is no surprise. He said that when I was good and ready, I could always come back and work part-time if I couldn’t get in at one of the Universities.”

 

He nodded, “I still have to look around,” he sighed. “Supposedly they’re opening a Starfleet campus in Tacoma, according to Rich.”

 

Melanie gasped, “That’s exciting!” she smiled. “When are they planning on opening?”

 

“Next fall,” he said, setting a plate down in front of her. “I’m gonna call the campus in San Francisco and see about job openings.”

 

“That’s really exciting!” she nodded. “And it’s only a little more than a half an hour’s worth of a commute! You could probably work two days if you really wanted to.”

 

Chris sat down at the table and nodded, “I just hope I can get something before hand though,” he sighed. “Who knows how long you’ll be on maternity leave for and then we’d have to figure out about the possibility of daycare and all that other stuff.”

 

“Hon, we’re moving to a city in which most of our friends live,” she snickered. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of help when it comes to babysitting and whatnot.”

 

Charlotte whined, “No!” she shook her head, as Melanie brought the spoon to her mouth. “Mama no!”

 

Setting the spoon down, Melanie wiped her face with a napkin and pushed the sippy cup closer to her. “I just hope I can fly out there,” she sighed. “Laura’s gonna be so upset, but I just want to get the hell out of here while we still can.”

 

“I know,” he nodded, reaching across the table to take her hand. “I want to get out of here too.”

 

Melanie sighed, “At least we don’t have to go crazy with Thanksgiving this year,” she smiled. “And we can finally see Gaila! I haven’t gotten around to having a vid-chat with her since last month!”

 

“Giggy!” Charlotte squealed.  “Giggy!”

 

“That’s right!” Melanie smiled, tickling under her chin. “Aunt Gaila and her baby will be over to see you and to play! So will Uncle Scotty, since you love his silly accent so much!”

 

Chris smiled, “I’m glad we’re doing this,” he nodded, as Charlotte squealed. “I can’t wait to show her where we met and how it all began. All three of them for that matter.”

 

Melanie smiled at him, “Me too,” she nodded. “Me too.”

 

…………..

 

Once the papers were signed and faxed back to the realtor’s office in Seattle, the real fun began. Nearly three years worth of stuff, plus whatever they brought over from Seattle, found new spots all over the apartment. The first set of boxes that contained books, photo frames and other knick-knacks, had been boxed up and sent to Jim and Leonard’s house for storage. Chris gave the realtor permission to give the keys to them, so they could clean up the place and make a list of all the things that needed to be fixed.

 

“Jo’s been cleaning windows,” Jim snickered, as he and Melanie chatted on the phone one night. “She’s even drawn up a few ideas for the flowerbeds.”

 

Melanie sat in the chair next to the closet, folding up clothes into a suitcase. “Well, hopefully she has some patience, because I wont be digging holes into the ground until the summer.”

 

“She’s offering to do it for you,” he said. “And she’s been looking at furniture for you on Ikea. Bones found her on the computer the other night, putting stuff into a shopping cart.”

 

“Oh dear,” Melanie shook her head, tossing the empty hangers into a plastic bag. “Chris is already freaking out about furniture, especially the extra crib we need for the other baby.”

 

Jim snorted, “I’m sure by the time Christmas comes, you’re registry will be bought out by everyone and that room will be done,” he promised. “Now, how much have you packed since the last time I called?”

 

Melanie sat back in the chair and sighed, “Right now I’m packing up the closet,” she yawned. “Looking at all my clothes makes me sad, since I’ll never get back to what I was before I got pregnant again.”

 

“Oh stop,” Jim huffed. “Once you’re all healed up, we’ll got walking with the kids. Gaila’s already freaking out about the _five_ pounds she’s gained and she’s got Scotty on this diet and exercise regiment.”

 

“Poor Scotty,” Melanie pouted.

 

Jim snorted, “Poor Scotty is right” he huffed. “He’s been eating rabbit food for weeks now! Bones and I have been sneaking food to him at work or he comes here to eat, when she’s working.”

 

“What toys do you want to keep out for now?” Chris asked from Charlotte’s room. “We need to send your stuff out to the new house.”

 

“Uh oh,” Jim snickered. “Are we letting Charlie pick what she wants to keep out?”

 

Melanie groaned, “Yes,” she shook her head, sitting up to drag a box out from the back of the closet. “Which will end up being everything, because she’s being bratty today.”

 

Digging through the box, Melanie tried to make some understanding of what was in it. After a few more seconds of digging, she realized it was a box of Chris’s things. A high school and college diploma, postcards from all the places he traveled to and photographs.

 

“Oh my god,” she giggled, picking up a photo. “I just found a box filled with stuff that Chris has saved up. I need to put these pictures somewhere to show you!”

 

“Oh god, oh god!” Jim squealed. “Did he have the bad eighties hair?”

 

Melanie snorted, “My husband looked like a true surfer boy,” she shook her head, flipping through the pictures. “God, what a hottie.”

 

“Pa!!!!” Charlotte whined, as he talked to her. “NOO!”

 

“Make sure you put all of those pictures somewhere,” Jim warned. “I want to see everything and we can plot a whole lotta blackmail.”

 

Saying their goodbyes, Melanie set the phone down and continued flipping through the photographs, giggling at each one. After going through about thirty of them, she settled on one photograph that made her pause. Turning the photograph over, Melanie red the loopy swirl of penship and gasped.

 

_Miami- August 1990; Chris, Becks and Phil._

The woman in the picture was not what Melanie expected, finally seeing the bitch of an ex-wife for the first time. She was exotic, shoulder length black hair that was teased to the extreme and dark eyes. Chris, still blonde and a little older, looked miserable, as he sat in a wicker lounge chair with her perched on his lap. Melanie could spot the bottles of beer and the lone cigarette in his hand, as Phil sat with another woman near by.

 

“Hey, what are we doing with-“ Chris said as he came into the room. “What’s that?”

 

Melanie jumped, dropping a few of the photos onto the floor, as he looked up at him. “Ummmm.”

 

Chris stepped closer to her and looked down, “Oh,” he nodded slowly, as he held a stack of baby clothes in his arms.

 

“I didn’t know this was your stuff,” she said quickly. “I’m sorry!”

 

He shook his head, “Don’t be sorry,” he said, setting the clothes down on the floor. “I forgot I had all this shit.”

 

Siting down at her feet, Chris dug through the box and chuckled at all the old mementos of his past. “God, I can’t believe how old this shit is.”

 

“I can’t believe how blonde you were.”

 

He chuckled, “I was such a asshole back then,” he shook is head. “Thought I was hot shit when I moved out of my parents house.”

 

“And you don’t think that now?” she joked, earning a smile from him. “When you said you smoked, I didn’t know it was this much.

 

She handed him the photograph, nodding to the cigarette dishes that were filled. “Phil and Becks were the big smokers,” he shook his head, eyeing the image of his past life. “I was a social smoker.”

 

Melanie nodded, “She’s… not what I expected,” she shrugged. “I though she would be more… Malibu beach babe.”

 

“She was anything but that,” he shook his head. “I still don’t what the hell I was thinking with her. Looking back on it, we were just so wrong for each other.”

  
“Not to sound full of myself,” Melanie sighed. “But you totally upgraded.”

 

Chris chuckled, “I did,” he agreed, setting the picture down. “And I upgraded real good.”

 

Melanie giggled as he rested his chin on her knee, “I’m still keeping these photos,” she warned, tapping her foot on the pile that fell to the floor. “You were quite the looker, baby. I’m kinda jealous that she got to have you like that.”

 

He gasped, “Don’t worry,” she ruffled his hair. “Now you’re my bitch and you’ve aged exceptionally well.”

 

“You’re crazy,” he shook his head, as she leaned forward to pick up the mess. “I got it.”

 

“Don’t you dare hide them from me,” she warned, as he set the photos into the box. “I’ll show you my embarrassing photos from my awkward teen years!”

 

Charlotte zoomed into the room at that moment, dressed in her Belle costume. “Mama!” she patted her leg. “Poop!”

 

Melanie nodded, “Let’s go poop,” she said, standing up. “How much did you pack up in her room?”

 

“I got everything that doesn’t fit into a suitcase,” he said, moving the box off the floor. “I need to get more boxes to pack up her toys and start sending out the rest of her furniture.”

“Okay,” Melanie said from the bathroom, as she set Charlotte on the toilet. “Easy Charlie! Don’t strain yourself!”

 

Charlotte giggled, “Oh! Oh!” she huffed. “Poop!”

 

 


	34. Chapter 34

Laura stared at the couple as they sat across from her, “You’re moving next month.”

 

They nodded, “We’re flying out December third and after the holidays, I’ll be flying back with Len and Jim to pack up the rest of the apartment,” Chris said. “That way Mel and Charlie can get settled into the house.”

 

“Do you even have a doctor set up over there?” Laura asked, with a frown. “To move across country this close to the end…. Guys, you’re pushing it!”

 

Melanie nodded, “I know!” she said. “But my friend is pregnant and we’re just a couple weeks shy of one another. She’s going to call me later tonight after her visit to see if they can take me in.”

 

“What’s the name?” Laura asked, picking up her pen. “Hey, if you’re leaving to see a new doctor, I want to make sure they’re legit.”

 

“Doctor Lyndon,” Melanie said, pulling out her phone to read the email Gaila had sent earlier in the week. “Sarah Lyndon of Seattle Obstetrics and Gynecology group.”

 

Laura looked up with surprise, “I know her,” she nodded. “We went to the same school and graduated together.”

 

Chris glanced at Melanie quickly before turning back to Laura, “Is she..” he trailed off, unsure of what to ask.

 

“Is she as good as me?” Laura smirked. “She’s the West Coast version of me, to be honest. If she’s covered under your insurance, go for it. The entire practice is really good as well, so if you can’t get her for delivery, you don’t have to panic because everyone there is well liked.”

 

Melanie sighed in relief, “Thank god,” she shook her head. “But I really don’t want to leave you.”

 

Laura nodded, “I know. I don’t want you guys to leave either,” she nearly pouted. “Now I’ll be stuck with the sexually active teens, bitchy moms and fossilized grannies.”

 

“Oh my god,” Chris shook his head, trying to suppress his laughter. “It can’t be that bad.”

 

“It’s bad,” Laura nodded, shifting her files around on the desk. “Okay, so I will keep a close eye on you from now til the week before you guys leave. I will sign off the paper work to give to the airline that you pick, but so help me god Mel. If something is off, no matter how tiny it is, you’re not going until after you give birth.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Yes Ma’am!” she mock saluted her. “I will call as soon as I hear from them and we’ll go from there.”

 

“Sounds good,” Laura nodded, standing up. “Let’s get you into an exam room so we can see how they’re doing. I want to hear all about this house, to which you better send pictures of once it’s all decorated!”

 

…………

 

“Charlie, Mommy has to put this stuff in the boxes,” Melanie said, as Charlotte grabbed her toys. “You can keep five out for now, but that’s it.”

 

“Mama! No!” Charlotte whined, clutching her toy puppy. “Mine!”

 

Melanie sighed, “I know it’s yours,” she nodded, setting the box on the desk. “But they’re going across the country tomorrow, so Uncle Bones and Uncle Jim can put them into our house.”

 

The toddler rushed out of the room screeching, dragging her blanket and puppy behind her. “God help me,” Melanie muttered, shaking her head.

 

Packing the rest of the toys into the cardboard box, Melanie taped it up excessively and wrote the address to Leonard and Jim’s house, before setting it against the wall with the other boxes.

 

“Charlotte, I’m warning you now,” Chris said from the other room. “If you knock another thing over, you’re going into your room and you wont have a cookie after dinner.”

 

Melanie snorted and made her way out of the room, finding Chris and Charlotte in the living room.

 

“Having a hard time?” she asked, as Chris sat on the floor. “Charlie, leave Daddy alone so he can put the books away.”

“NO!”

 

“Charlotte! Let’s go!” Melanie yelled, snapping her fingers. “You were so good this morning and now you’re being bad!”

 

Charlotte shook her head, “Mama! Go poop!” she shouted, throwing her puppy down.

 

Melanie blinked, “What did you say?” she asked, as the toddler began her meltdown. “Did you just tell me to go poop?”

 

Chris shook his head, “I don’t know if I should laugh or put her in time out,” he said, shaking his head. “Charlie, if you want to help, you need to sit down right here and watch.”

 

“Pa!” she rushed forward, colliding against his side. “Up!”

 

He sighed, pulling her onto his lap. “Why are you being fresh today?” he asked, as she tugged her blanket closer. “I know you want to play with all your toys, but they need to go in the boxes.”

 

Shaking out the blanket, Chris wrapped her up and held her like a swaddled newborn. “How about we put you on the sofa and you watch a movie?” he suggested. “I’ll get you some goldfish and your sippy cup and you can relax.”

“I’ll go get it,” Melanie said, as she went into the kitchen. “Take one of the couch pillows and put it down on the floor so she can put her head down.”

 

Grabbing a tiny plastic bowl, Melanie poured a handful of crackers into it and filled the sippy cup with apple juice, before making her way back out into the living room. Curled up against a pillow, Charlotte had her toy puppy wrapped up in her blanket, watching as Chris put a movie on.

 

“Here we go,” Melanie sighed, setting the bowl next to her. “You watch your movie and take a nap.”

 

Setting the remote on the coffee table, Chris went back to the bookcase and sat down on the floor, picking up a stack of books to go into the box. “How much more do you need to pack in her room?”

 

“I’m putting whatever we need from now til the day we leave into a suitcase,” she said. “Everything else can get shipped out between now and when you and the boys come back in January. Rich even offered to come once a week to send out a few boxes, that way we’re not paying all that money for shipping up front.”

 

He nodded, “Just make sure you put everything important into a carry on,” he said, taping up a box. “I put all your research texts and my stuff in these boxes for now. You might want to bring a book or two on the plane, that way you’re not bored out of your mind.”

 

Melanie nodded, “I’ll look through them either tonight or tomorrow,” she shrugged. “A might just give a lot of that stuff to the library.”

 

“Whatever you want to do,” he nodded, scribbling the address onto the box. “I’m gonna sit here with her for a while and then I’ll start on dinner.”

 

“Kay,” she yawned. “I’m going to call my brother and see if some of that furniture came in. Your desk, Jo’s bed and a few other things were supposed to arrive there today.”

 

Chris settled on the sofa next to Charlotte, setting her sippy cup next to him. “If you start feeling tired, make sure you lay down to relax,” he warned. “Laura’s not kidding around with keeping an eye on your health.”

Melanie smiled at him, “I promise,” she nodded. “When she conks out, let me know so I can help with dinner.”

  
…………

 

“Are you excited?!?” Jim shouted on the phone. “You’re going to be here in two weeks!”

 

Melanie snorted as she lowered the volume on the television, “I am very excited,” she confirmed. “The fact that a good portion of our stuff is in the house right now, is making me all giddy!”

 

“Bones and I put the new crib together for you,” he said. “We didn’t put Charlie’s big girl bed together, because we figured Chris would want to take part in putting that together for her.”

 

“Oh he would love that,” Melanie gasped. “He spend weeks looking at different beds for her, especially since we want to have one that’ll last her for more than a year or two.”

 

Jim chuckled, “Well it’s in your living room,” he yawned. “We might’ve splurged and got you some things too.”

 

“Jimmy!” Melanie exclaimed. “You guys shouldn’t be doing that!”

 

“Oh hush,” he chuckled. “You’re family and I know for a fact that you’re going to be on lockdown once you guys get here. And the house wont be totally done before the babies come, so we want to help.”

 

Melanie sighed, “Just don’t get crazy,” she warned. “We’re not hanging things up until after we paint in the spring.”

 

“Is that Aunt Mellie?”

 

Jim pulled the phone away from his ear, “Yes,” he murmured. “You wanna put her on speaker?”

 

“Aunt Mellie?”

 

Melanie smiled, “Hi Jo! Did you just get home from school?”

 

“Yeah! Oh my god, I made Daddy stop at the store and we got you a house plant!” she exclaimed. “And I picked out a wind chime for the patio!”

 

“You did?” she gasped. “Are you going to help me in the spring with the garden?”

 

Joanna giggled, “Yes! We can plant flowers and a whole bunch of stuff,” she insisted. “Then we can put a kiddie pool for Charlie and eat outside in the summer!”

 

Melanie listened as Joanna rambled on about all the exciting things they would finally be able to do, once they arrived to the house. “And for Christmas, we’re having dinner here! Daddy says that everyone is coming over this year and that you, Uncle Chris and Charlie are staying with us until after the holidays.”

 

“That’s right,” Melanie nodded. “Uncle Chris wants to make sure all the heating and water is all set up right before we move in. Otherwise it’ll be too cold to live in the house.”

 

“Charlie can sleep in my room! We got a box of her stuff yesterday and we’re going to make up a bed for her to sleep in.”

 

They talked for a few more minutes until Jim sent her off to do homework. “Before your Dad kills me!” he shouted after her. “I’ve never seen someone so interested in home design.”

 

Melanie snorted as Chris came into the bedroom with Charlotte, “It’ll be good to have the help,” she yawned. “Charlie just woke up from her nap.”

“Uh oh,” Jim snickered. “I guess it’s dinner time over there? I should probably let you guys go and make sure that Jo’s doing her homework. I still have to make dinner for her since Bones is working late tonight.”

 

“Stay here with Mommy,” Chris whispered, as he set the toddler down on the bed. “I’m going to start on dinner.”

 

Melanie nodded and turned her attention back to Jim and the phone call, “Call me later?” she asked, as pots and pans clattered on his end. “Maybe we can have a video chat?”

 

“Sure thing, doll,” Jim promised. “Give Charlie a kiss for me and tell Chris I said hi.”

 

Hanging up, Melanie scooped Charlotte onto her lap and gave her a kiss, before settling down in front of her. “Jim says hi!” she shouted, as Chris came out of the bathroom. “What are you making for dinner?”

 

He shrugged, “I have chicken in the fridge that needs to be cooked, “he said. “I could put some teriyaki sauce on it and dice up some peppers and snap peas.”

 

“Hmmmm, that sounds yummy,” she nodded. “Right Charlie?”

 

Charlotte waved a headband up and down in the air, screeching in delight. “I think she likes that, “Melanie said, looking up at Chris with a smile. “Do you want some help?”

He shook his head, “You two stay in here and relax,” he said, leaning over to kiss her. “I’ll come in with a cup of juice for her and some water for you.”

 

“Sounds good,” she nodded. “You wanna help Mommy pack up her hair things? Or do you want to wear them?”

 

Charlotte held up the hair band to her, “Mama! Mama!”

 

Chris snorted and made his way to the door of the bedroom, turning back to watch as Melanie set the hair band on top of Charlotte’s head like a halo.

 

“You look like a little angel!” Melanie cooed, tickling her lightly. “Help Mommy put them in the bag now.”

 

With one final look, Chris stepped out of the room and around the pile of boxes that lined the hallway, making his way into the equally cluttered kitchen. Grabbing a pan off the counter, he pulled the package of chicken out of the fridge and brought it to the sink. It was crazy to think that in two short weeks, they would finally be home in Seattle, having dinner with their family.


	35. Chapter 35

On their final night in Manhattan, the couple found themselves having dinner at the _Kobayashi Maru_ with their closest friends in Manhattan. Closing the restaurant down for the day, Richard, Sasha and a few other chefs whipped up food and set a bunch of tables together for a fond farewell. After clearance from Laura, the Pike’s would board a plane in the early morning hours of the next day, bound for Seattle.

 

“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow,” Sasha shook her head, as her son Max sat on her lap. “Now we have to find another chef and it’s going to suck.”

 

Chris snorted, “I’m sure you’ll find someone better than me,” he shook his head.

 

“Mommy, can I have more juice?” Tyler, Sasha and Maya’s son and Max’s twin, asked. “Pwease?”

 

Maya nodded and stood up from the table, taking Tyler’s cup and her’s over to the counter.

 

“Are you guys all packed?” McKayla asked, as Charlotte sat on her lap.

 

Melanie nodded, “For the most part,” she sighed. “I just need to throw the last of Charlie’s things in her suitcase, clear out the medicine cabinets and put a diaper bag together.”

 

“We have the apartment until the middle of Janurary,” Chris shrugged. “So after New Year’s, I’ll fly out with Len an Jim and we’ll pack up and ship the rest of the stuff out.”

 

Alice shook her head, “It’s going to be so quite without you guys,” she said sadly. “You better come back to visit us.”

 

“And you guys better come out to visit,” Melanie nodded. “We have all that room and we like having people over.”

 

“I know _I’ll_ be visiting,” Rosette giggled, shoulder bumping Melanie lightly. “Can’t let you have all the fun in that pretty house.”

 

Richard smiled and held up his glass of wine, “To Chris, Mel and Charlie,” he said.

 

Around the table, everyone picked up their glasses o wine, water and juice and held them up with smiles. “To Chris, Mel and Charlie,” their friends chimed, before clinking them together.

 

………….

 

“Do you have everything in the diaper bag?” Chris asked, as he set the last suitcase near the front door. “Enough wipes, diapers, baby powder.”

 

Melanie nodded as she shoved the tiny travel bag in with a package of wipes. “I think we’ll be good for six and a half hours,” she said. “Did you get everything out of Charlie’s room?”

 

“All her toys, except for the Mickey and Nemo toy in her crib,” he confirmed. “There’s just the suitcase in our room and your carry-on that need to be packed up and I have to put the stroller out here.”

 

“We can do that tomorrow morning before we get her ready,” Melanie said, as he sat down next to her. “I can’t believe we’re finally leaving tomorrow.”

 

Wrapping his arm around her, Chris pressed a kiss to the side of her head and nodded. “Two weeks flew by so fast,” he shook his head.

 

“The entire month flew by,” she corrected him. “I hope Charlie’s okay on the plane tomorrow.”

 

“She’ll be fine,” he assured her. “Give her an hour and she’ll be asleep and before you know it, we’ll be home.”

 

Melanie hummed in agreement, “At least Hikaru was kind enough to fly back to Seattle with the cats for his break,” she yawned. “Two less things to panic about.”

 

Chris snorted, “Len can’t wait to get them out of there,” he said. “Jim’s been letting them sleep on their bed and it’s driving him crazy.”

 

“They’ve only been there for four days,” Melanie yawned. “He’ll get over it.”

 

“That he will,” Chris agreed, before patting her thigh lightly. “Come on. Let’s get you into bed before you pass out on the sofa.”

 

He stood up, helping her too her feet. “But we have so much more to put away before tomorrow,” she whined, as he led her down the hall.

 

“Which I will do,” he promised. “Just get into bed and direct me to where I have to put everything.”

 

Grumbling as they went into the bedroom, Melanie sat down on her side of the bed and watched as Chris packed up the last of the clothes that sat on the chair near the closet.

 

“Just double check the dresser for me,” she mumbled, pulling the pillow down under her head. “If there’s anything in the jewelry box, just put it into that little black pouch next to it and put it into my purse.”

 

Chris nodded as he moved around the room, “I will,” he promised. “Get some sleep.”

Too tired to reply, Melanie simply grunted and burrowed her head deeper into the pillow; the excitement of the following day and exhaustion finally taking over.

 

………..

 

“ _As we make our final descent into Seattle, we would like to remind you to please put all trays in their up right positions and any stowaways under your seats or in the overhead compartments. It’s thirty-nine degrees and a bit rainy on this early December afternoon. We like to thank you for choosing Jet Blue and we hope you had a wonderful flight.”_

Melanie shifted in her seat, glancing out the window as the plane dropped through the cloudy skies of Seattle. In just twenty something minutes, they would finally step off the plane and into the waiting arms of Jim, Leonard and Joanna. Home.

 

“Is she still out?” Chris asked, as he collected the trash from the tray in front of the middle seat.

 

“She’s sleeping,” Melanie nodded, glancing down at the toddler. “Which will either be really good or really bad for us later.”

 

The flight attendant came by one last time, collecting the garbage before stowing it away and taking her seat. Melanie set the book she’d neglected somewhere during hour three of the flight, back into her bag and pushed it under the seat before settling back.

 

“I have to pee so bad,” she whispered, as the plane bumped through an air pocket. “Jesus.”

 

Chris snorted as he checked the safety belt on Charlie’s seat, before tucking her blanket around her. “As soon as we land,” he nodded. “If you can’t hold it in, I’m sure the flight attendant will let you go in the bathroom up front.”

 

“God I hope so,” she mumbled, as the plane dipped lower and lower from the sky. “Oh look! I can see buildings! And cars! Oh, I can’t wait to sit in a car for more than two hours.”

 

The landing went smoothly as possible, given the weather and soaked runway, as the plane slowed down before pulling up to the gate. It took a while to get off the plane, as people rushed to the exit, much to Melanie’s annoyance. Fortunately, the young attendant that was ever so captivated by Charlotte, noticed Melanie’s distress and managed to halt the line to let her into the bathroom.

 

“Shame on you,” she tsk’d to the disgruntled passengers in the front of a line. “When a pregnant lady has to go, you let her go!”

 

By the time they collected their belongings; bags and a stroller, Chris and Melanie set the sleepy toddler into the stroller and made their way through the airport and to the elevator bank.

 

“I’m so excited! I’m so excited,” Melanie giggled, as she wrapped her arm around his.

 

“Good lord, I can only imagine what you’ll be like when you see the house,” he joked, as she kissed his cheek. “Did you text Len to let him know that we’re here?”

 

Melanie nodded, “They’re waiting by the baggage claim with a cart,” she nodded. “I hope their car has enough room for all of that plus the three of us.”

 

Stepping off the elevator, they followed the familiar signs that led to baggage claim, shocked to find it crowded with passengers and their families. After a few minutes of searching, they finally found the waiting trio near the wall.

 

“AUNT MELLIE! UNCLE CHRIS!” Joanna screeched as she stood on the luggage cart.

 

As soon as they reached them, Joanna hopped off and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Melanie’s hips. “Hi!” Melanie exclaimed, hugging her as best as her belly would allow. “Look how big you are!”

 

“Look at you!” Leonard shook his head. “You look like you’re ready to burst!”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes and accepted the biggest hug he had to offer, “How was the flight?” he asked, as she kissed his cheek.

 

“It was okay,” she shrugged. “Charlie slept for the last half of it, thank god.”

 

Jim pulled her into a hug, “I’m so happy you’re here!” he exclaimed. “I’m just upset that it’s raining and cold out for your big welcome home.”

 

“It’s like this all the time in the winter,” Chris chuckled, as he picked Joanna up. “I heard you got an A on your algebra exam, Miss Jo. I’m very proud of you.”

 

As they chattered about, Leonard peered down into the stroller and smiled. “Hi, Sleeping Beauty,” he cooed, reaching to tweak Charlotte’s nose. “Did you have a nice nap.”

 

“ “Ones!” she cried, fussy as she woke from her nap.

 

Unstrapping her from the stroller, Leonard pulled her out and hugged her to his body, dropping a few kisses on her face. “I’m so happy you’re here,” he smiled, as she clutched the front of his shirt. “Jo-Jo watched all your toys and put them on the bed we put together for you in her room.”

 

As Jim and Leonard crowded around Charlotte, Melanie peered out the front windows of the airport and sighed. The rain was coming down in buckets, as the line for cabs and cars grew.

 

“I think we should get the luggage,” Chris said. “We need to feed the baby and Mel needs to sit down for a bit.”

 

Jim nodded, “We brought both cars,” he said, as Joanna picked up the Nemo toy that fell out of the stroller. “I have the car seat in my car, since Len has the truck.”

 

Melanie nodded, “It’s a lot of suitcases, plus the stroller,” she said. “You should’ve seen the look on the lady’s face when we checked in. She was so pissed, lugging them from the scale to the belt.”

 

“That’s what they’re paid for,” Leonard snorted. “How many suitcases?”

 

“About twelve,” Chris shrugged. “It’s mostly our clothes and Charlie’s things.”

   
Jim nodded, “I can put like three in my car,” he said, looking at Leonard. “Or we can figure it out as we get outside.”

 

Leonard nodded and handed Charlotte over to Melanie, “Let’s go get the bags and get out of here. Gaila an Scotty are at the house with Pavel and Hikaru, and they’ve been cooking all day.”

 

“Giggy!” Charlotte squealed. “Giggy! Mama! Giggy!”

 

Melanie giggled, “Aunt Gaila’s at the house!” she nodded. “We’ll see her soon!”

 

One the stroller was against the wall of the airport, the boys took the cart and went to collect the suitcases, while Joanna stayed behind with Melanie and Charlotte.

 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Joanna said, hugging her tightly.

 

“Me too,” Melanie smiled, ruffling her hair, as Charlotte held onto Joanna’s hand. “Me too.”


	36. Chapter 36

It took an hour to get from the airport to the house, as the traffic on the expressway held them up. By the time both cars pulled up; one in the driveway and the other at the curb, Charlotte was in the middle of a temper tantrum and Melanie was starving. Grabbing two suitcases out of the trunk, Jim quickly rushed up to the porch and set them by the door, before pounding on it.

 

“SCOTTY! OPEN THE DOOR!” he shouted, before rushing back down the steps. “You got her?”

 

Melanie nodded as she pulled Charlotte out of the car seat, the blanket settled over her head and her toys. “Come on!” she said softly, moving around the car. “Let’s get you inside!”

 

Jim led them up the front steps, just as the screen door opened. Scotty grinned at them, as Gaila came up behind him.

  
“AH!” she screeched, bouncing on her toes. “You’re here!”

 

Moving into the house, as Jim went back to help Chris, Jo and Leonard, Melanie pushed the hood of her jacket back and smiled. The house smelled wonderful, as the food cooked in the kitchen. Taking the damp blanket off Charlotte, the toddler looked around the room and beamed when she spotted Gaila.

 

“Giggy!”

 

Gaila smiled, “Hi baby girl!” she cooed, holding her arms out. “Look how _big_ you got!”

 

Melanie shifted the toddler into her arms and pulled the jacket off, moving back as Scotty wheeled the suitcases into the hall. “Yeh don’t even know how excited Ah am ta see yeh’s,” he shook his head, pulling Melanie into a hug.

 

“I’m very happy to see you guys too, “she giggled, as Leonard came into the house. “Something smells so good!”

 

“Charlie!”

 

Turning around, Melanie smiled as Pavel and Hikaru came out from the kitchen, smiling at the toddler.

 

“You guys better stay here forever, “Leonard huff, setting a suitcase against the wall. “Or stop shoppin’.”

 

“Oh please,” Melanie snorted. “With three girls? That’ll never happen.”

 

As the final pieces of luggage found their way into the hall of the house, the trio moved around, accepting hugs and kisses.

 

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Gaila exclaimed, as she and Melanie carried Charlotte over to the table.

 

“Me either!” Melanie shook her head. “It went so fast!”

 

“We’ve got plenty of food!” Pavel shouted from the kitchen. “Do you guys want anything to drink?”

 

Hikaru snorted, “Let them catch their breath first, Pav,” he shook his head. “They probably want to get out of those wet clothes first.”

 

“Do you know which suitcases you need?” Leonard asked, as Pavel tickled Charlotte. “Your room is still the same from the last time you were here.”

 

Chris nodded, “You want to get changed?” he asked, looking at Melanie. “Or do you want to eat first?”

 

Melanie shrugged, “I need to put new socks on,” she pouted. “So we can change first.”

 

“I’ll change Miss Charlie here,” Gaila smiled. “I need the practice anyways!”

 

Grabbing clothes from the suitcase, Gaila and Scotty carried Charlotte upstairs, while Chris and Melanie went down the hall to the other guestroom. Closing the door behind them, Melanie sighed with a smile.

 

“Our first night as suburban parents,” she said, stretching her arms over her head. “I can’t wait to sleep later.”

 

“We’ll see the house tomorrow,” Chris said, as she started pulling her sodden clothes off. “It’s too nasty to go back outside and you need to rest.”

 

Pulling on a pair of yoga pants, Melanie sat down on the bed and nodded. “I don’t want to go back out anyways,” she nodded. “I just want to eat and catch up with everyone.”

 

Setting the clothes into the hamper, Chris helped her with her socks, before pulling her up to her feet. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing her cheek.

 

Melanie smiled and wrapped her arms as tightly around him as she could, “I love you too.”

 

“I HOPE YOU TWO AREN’T DOING THE NASTY IN THERE!” Jim shouted from down the hall. “YOU’RE DARLING DAUGHTER NEEDS TO EAT AND SO DO YOU!”

 

“Come on,” Chris snorted, taking her hand. “Let’s go eat and then we can relax.”

 

…………

 

The next morning, despite the mild jet lag, Melanie was up and moving about the house at eight-thirty. Collecting Charlotte from Joanna’s room, she found Leonard in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone.

 

“Look who’s up,” he smiled, as she made her way over to the counter. “Uncle Bones got your bananas and other yummy things to snack on.”

 

“’Nanas!” Charlotte babbled, as Melanie set her down in the high chair.

 

Melanie shook her head with a laugh, making her way over to the refrigerator. “How long til Jimmy gets his ass out of bed?” she asked, as Leonard fiddled with the burner on the stove.

 

“Well, considerin’ the fact that it’s Saturday morning and his day off,” Leonard shook his head. “He doesn’t get out of bed til ten- eleven thirty.”

 

“ _You_ let him sleep in that late?” she teased. “I’m lucky if I can get Chris to let me stay in bed til noon once a week.”

 

Leonard chuckled as he set the kettle down on the burner, “He needs his rest,” he shook his head. “He’s been bustin’ his ass between work, his night class and watchin’ Jo when I’m at work.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Have you been nicer to him since that big talk around his birthday?” she asked.

 

“We’ve been gettin’ better,” he nodded. “But..”

 

“But what?”

 

Leonard sighed, “After we came home from takin’ Jo to Disney…something happened that’s been botherin’ me for a while.”

 

Melanie set the bottle of apple juice down on the counter and frowned, “What happened?” she asked, as Leonard ran his fingers through his hair.

 

Explaining the off-hand comment he made about Jim not being a child predator and the younger man’s reaction, Melanie listened quietly as Leonard expressed his concerns over the un-spoken topic; the sporadic nightmares that woke him up from a dead-sleep and when a news report came on about a kidnapping or an arrest of a sex offender in the next town over, that sent Jim into a stony silence for days.

 

“And here I am, bein’ a dick to him left and right,” Leonard shook his head sadly. “Jesus Mel, I just-“

 

She reached out and took his hand into hers, “I know you’re worried and upset,” she said softly. “But if it really did happen, you have to give him time.”

 

He nodded and Melanie reached up to brush her thumb across his cheek, “I know you love him, Lenny. You’ve been a good man to him, even though you both have your moments.”

 

“I really do love him, Mellie,” he said quietly, as Charlotte babbled from the high chair. “After everythin’ with Joss, I don’t want to go through another breakup and explain’ it to Jo.”

 

“So give him time,” Melanie said. “Eventually he’ll tell you everything there is to know about what happened to him.”

 

Leonard nodded, “Okay,” he mumbled, as footsteps shuffled from the hall. “I think your husband is awake.”

A few seconds later, Chris stepped into the kitchen along with Jim and Joanna. “My god!” Leonard smiled, as they made their way towards the table. “You’re up before nine?”

 

Jim grumbled as he made his way towards the counter, “Jo attacked me,” he mumbled, wrapping his arms around Leonard. “And I could smell the bacon grease through the floorboards.”

 

“Good thing you got your ass out of bed,” Leonard smirked, as he place a noisy kiss on Jim’s forehead. “Mellie here was just about to eat the whole pan.”

“You dirty liar,” Melanie gasped, as she poured a cup of coffee for Chris. “You want some coffee, Jim?”

 

Leonard smiled over the top of Jim’s head, “Give him a minute,” he said softly, as Jim held onto him. “If he drinks coffee straight away, he gets a lil’ peaky.”

 

She nodded, brining the cup over to the table. “Good morning,” she smiled, before kissing her husband. “Sleep good?”

 

“I did,” he nodded. “Until you kneed me in the groin and stole the blankets.”

 

“I don’t know how that’s possible, since I can’t even lift my leg up in the shower to shave it,” she shook her head. “And it was cold.”

 

Jim giggled, “Blanket stealer,” he mumbled, standing up straighter to properly kiss his boyfriend. “Need any help?”

 

Leonard shook his head, “Unless you wanna cut up some bananas for Charlie,” he shrugged. “Otherwise, you can sit at the table and relax.”

 

“Mama! Joose!” Charlotte screeched, making grabby hands at her. “Joose!”

 

“I will get you your juice,” she nodded, moving back to the counter. “Don’t be so impatient, little girl.”

 

“Daddy, can I have cereal?” Joanna asked, as she made her way over to the cupboard.

 

Leonard took a bowl down from the cabinet and handed it to her, “Try not to use all the milk this time,” he warned, as she took it from him. “It’s getting expensive buying a gallon of milk every other day.”

 

Joanna giggled as she took the bowl and box of cereal back to the table. Filling up a sippy cup, Melanie brought it over to Charlotte and placed it on the high chair tray.

 

“Here we go,” she smiled, setting a bib onto the toddler. “Mommy’ll get your bananas and then you can go play with your toys.”

 

Chris stood from the table, moving to the counter to grab a few plates down from the cabinet. “You wanna see the house today?” he aksed, as Melanie stood next to him.

 

“We could do that,” she nodded. “Pick out who get’s which room and make a list of stuff we need.”

 

“If you want, we’ll stay here with Charlie so you two can look around,” Leonard offered. “I know she’s dying to get into her toys and running around like a bat out of hell.”  

 

Melanie smiled, “That sounds perfect,” she nodded. “Let’s get breakfast out of the way and then I’ll jump in the shower and get ready for the day.”

 

………

 

“Maybe we could put a television up in here and then one in the basement for the kids” Chris shrugged, as he stood in the middle of their new living room. “That way when they have friends over, they can be down there and make all the noise they want.”

 

Melanie nodded, “It’s a big space, Chris,” she sighed. “We’re gonna have to figure out how to make it homey and not so bare.”

 

He wrapped his arm around her waist, “We could always paint it a dark brown,” he shrugged. “Put lots of photos on the wall or something.”

 

“Hmmm,” she nodded, looking down at the list in her hand. “We’ll need to get someone in here to check the radiators and figure out what to do with flooring.”

 

“We have plenty of time for all that,” he promised, taking her by the hand.  “Let’s go upstairs and look at the bedrooms.”

 

A half an hour later, each room had a proud owner. The biggest room that overlooked the front yard would be theirs, along with the attached bathroom. A few feet down the hall, would be Charlotte’s room, which overlooked the backyard while the twins would take the room across the hall.

 

“Then we can make the extra room at the end a guest room for Jo or for my brother and Jim,” Melanie nodded, as she scribbled on the piece of paper. “Or we can make it an office, that way the girls can share the bathroom next to it. The two rooms downstairs can be guestrooms instead.”

 

“Whatever you want to do is fine,” he insisted. “I think it would be a good idea to make it your office, because three girls sharing one bathroom together is enough. Adding houseguests? There will be blood and screaming matches.”

 

She snickered, “Then this floor is set,” she nodded. “I’ll have to get those air freshener things tomorrow so it doesn’t smell so gross in here.”

 

Chris nodded, “But overall, do you like it?” he asked.

 

“I _love_ it,” she beamed. “It’s a big house and it has so much space for the kids and to have people over.”

 

“Because if you don’t like something, we can always change it,” he said, as she made her way over to him.

 

Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled, “It just needs paint and our stuff,” she insisted. “Once it’s all put together it’s going to be _amazing.”_

He nodded, “You did good, Chris,” she nodded, before giving him a quick kiss. “Are you hungry?”

 

“A little,” he nodded, smiling. “But I’m guessing that you’re starving, huh?”

 

She blushed, “Could we please stop at McDonalds?” she pouted. “Please?”

 

“Yes,” he sighed, earning a squeal of delight. “But then we’re going home and you’re going to relax.”

 

They started down the stairs slowly, “Jim said something about watching some show about sex in Manhattan.”

 

Melanie giggled, “Sex and the City,” she nodded. “He got the entire series on Amazon on Black Friday and he hasn’t opened it yet!”

 

Stepping out onto the porch, Melanie waited as he locked up the house, before making their way down to the car. “You could always watch it with us,” she suggested. “We can put Charlie down for a nap and Jo’s sleeping over at a friends house tonight, so Lenny’s free.”

 

“Is Len going to watch this show?” he asked, as they got into the car. “What the hell is it about? Sex?”

 

“Four single girls in Manhattan, sex, expensive clothes and shoes,” she rambled. “Oh and more sex!”

 

Chris started the car and pulled out of the driveway, “Um, yeah,” he shook his head. “I think I’ll pass on that.”

 

“Chrissy!!!” she whined, as they started down the block. “Live a little!”

 

He chuckled, “You wouldn’t watch Game of Thrones,” he pointed out.

 

“That was too violent for me,” she pouted. “And the siblings that fuck each other? That’s so gross!”

 

“I’ll watch one episode,” he gave in. “But if I don’t like it, I’m leaving to watch television in the other room.”

 

Melanie nodded, “Deal,” she smiled. “Okay, let’s get lunch and go home!”

 

 

 

 

 


	37. Chapter 37

A week after settling in at Leonard and Jim’s house, the dreaded start of Christmas shopping began. Opting to take Charlotte and Joanna for the day, since they’d already finished their shopping, Gaila and Scotty opened their house up for the afternoon.

 

“What are you going to get Chris?” Jim asked, as he and Melanie walked through one end of the mall. “Are you guys even going crazy this year with exchanging gifts?”

 

She shrugged, “I told him I didn’t want anything for Christmas,” she sighed, wrapping her arm through his. “That the house was enough.”

 

Jim nodded, “Did he ask for anything in particular?”

 

“A nice home cooked meal with his family and friends,” she giggled. “He also wants a white Christmas and for Charlie to have a smile on her face when she opens her presents.”

 

“Well, he’s definetly getting both of those,” Jim nodded. “We’re hosting this year, since last year it was Gaila and Scotty. Nyota and Spock are flying in, Hikaru will be here for a few days and Pavel as well.”

 

Melanie smiled, “That’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “I just want a nice and peaceful day with everyone, before I go into hibernation like the Duchess of Cambridge did at the end of her pregnancy.”

 

They stepped into American Eagle, relieved to find it somewhat empty, as they shopped for Joanna. “She needs winter clothes,” Jim sighed, as they thumbed through a rack of sweaters. “She’s growing like a weed.”

 

“That’s what happens, Jim,” Melanie snickered, holding up a cable knit sweater in green. “Kids grow.”

 

“Well she needs to slow down,’ he shook his head. “I’ll blink and she’ll be eighteen and moving out for college before I can get Bones to say yes to getting a dog.”

 

Twenty minutes and a shopping bag each in their hands, they decided to meet up with Leonard and Chris at the toy store.

 

“God, I can only imagine what they’re doing now,” Melanie shook her head. “Chris turns into a child himself when we go shopping for Charlie.”

 

“Chris and I have that in common,” Jim laughed, as they reached the store. “Bones and I went shopping after Black Friday and we spent more time at Toys R Us than originally planned.”

 

The shop was much more crowded than American Eagle, as disgruntled parents bustled about, trying to get their shopping done before the schools let out for the day.

 

“They’re probably looking a dolls,” Melanie snickered. “Chris is trying to get her out of the doll stage, but I shot that down quickly.”

 

Weaving through the aisles, Jim kept his hand on the small of her back, making sure to keep her from falling over anything. “Bones and I got her a Leapfrog tablet,” he shrugged, smirking at the surprised gasp from her. “We figured it would give her the advantage when it’s time for school.”

 

“Jim,” she shook her head. “Those things are so expensive! You didn’t have to do that!”

 

“Stop!” he shook his head. “She’s our niece and we love spoiling her, as much as we love to spoil Jo… well, I love spoiling them both. I can’t wait to spoil those two as well.”

 

“Don’t you think this on is to…. Mature?”

 

Melanie looked up and spotted Chris and Leonard looking at a display of Barbie dolls, her husband unsure of what to get as Leonard pointed to different ones.

 

“What’s too mature?” she asked, startling them both. “I see you two have been busy in the two hours we left you.”

 

They looked down at the shopping bags near the feet and shrugged, “We got a lot of people to shop for,” Leonard smiled. “We would have most of Charlie’s list done, but Chris here is being picky.”

 

Chris scowled at his brother-in-law, before accepting a kiss from his wife. “How’d you do with Jo’s things?” he asked.

 

“Let’s just say that she’ll be comfy and warm by the time schools back in session,” she nodded. “I even got this cute little sweater for Charlie! This store has kids clothes now!”

 

“Oh dear,” Leonard snorted, as Melanie pulled out the tiny pink and green sweater to show him. “Next she’ll be looking for mini-boots and god knows what.”

 

“Don’t,” Chris hissed. “Don’t give her any ideas! Charlie’s got enough clothes to last her til the start of next fall.”

 

Leonard rolled his eyes, “Fine, fine!” he shook his head. “Are we getting anything here or do you want to look in the Disney shop? We still have to get something for Dad and I know you wanted to get something for Gaila off her registry.”

 

“Give me a moment to look, Lenny!” Melanie gasped. “She’s only two years old for crying out loud! Barbie’s are a no at the moment, because of all the tiny accessories that come with them.”

 

“Okay!” he shook his head, bending down to pick up his shopping bags. “Jim and I will go look around and meet you out front.”

 

As they walked away, Melanie and Chris moved through the store, looking for presents that would be suitable for a two year old. After a few minutes, they ended up with set of seven mermaid dolls from The Little Mermaid. Taking one last pit stop at the Disney Store, where they picked up a good portion of Charlie’s presents, the group stopped for food at the food court.

 

“So when are you seeing the new doctor?” Jim asked, as they chowed down on Chinese food.

 

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Melanie said through a mouthful of fried rice. “I hope she’s nice.”

 

Chris reached over and wiped her mouth with a napkin, chuckling as she scowled at him in the process. “Gaila said she was nice,” he nodded. “I just hope Laura faxed all the paperwork over.”

 

Leonard shrugged, “You think she’s gonna scold you for flying out so late in the game?” he asked. “If I was your doctor, I would’ve kept you grounded.”

 

“Thank god you’re not my doctor,” Melanie snorted, pushing her plate away. “I’m full.”

 

“Already?” Jim scoffed. “You had like three bites!”

 

She nodded, “Chinese food this time around is not easy to consume,” she pouted. “With Charlie, I could eat the whole menu and a bowl of ice cream.”

 

Chris snorted, “You sure could,” he muttered, earning a jab to the ribs. “What? I’m just stating that you had a healthy appetite!”

 

“Sure you were,” she rolled her eyes, closing up the take out tray. “What are we getting for Scotty and Gaila? Now that they finally told us it’s a boy, I don’t know what to get for a boy.”

 

“Anything with Winnie the Pooh, “Leonard nodded. “And maybe we should chip in a get Scotty a big bottle of Scotch, because the poor man is having a nervous breakdown.”

 

………..

 

 

The next day, after a late night of finding hiding spots for the presents, the first visit at the Seattle Obstetrics and Gynecology group with Doctor Sarah Lyndon. Leaving Charlie with her Uncles and Jo, Chris and Melanie took the short trip into town, finding the cheerful looking building easily. After filling out the necessary paperwork, they were called back to an exam room by a young nurse.

 

“Even though we have all the paperwork from Doctor Kaui’s office,” Ophelia said, opening the chart. “We just want to check the basics before Doctor Lyndon comes in.”

 

So the routine blood pressure test, weight and height, temperature and blood work took place. When Ophelia left the room, Melanie stripped down to her underwear and pulled on the paper gown, before climbing onto the exam table.

 

“Nervous?” Chris asked, rubbing her arms. “You’re trembling.”

 

“It’s cold as fuck in here,” she whispered, swinging her legs back and forth.

 

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her. “We’ll stop for tea after this,” he promised. “We still have to get stuff for Mom and Dad, along with the list of shit Jim “claims” we need from Target.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Then we can go home and cuddle?” she asked, looking up at him. “Please?”

 

“You don’t have to ask Mel,” he laughed, kissing her forehead. “Charlie’ll go down for a nap and we can do whatever you want.”

 

There was a light knock on the door, before it swung open. A tall blonde stepped into the room, holding Melanie’s chart in one hand, smiling.

 

“You must be Melanie Pike,” she said, stepping into the room. “I’m Doctor Lyndon.”

 

“Hello,” Melanie smiled, shaking her hand. “This is my husband, Chris.”

 

Doctor Lyndon smiled at shook his hand, “Nice to meet you both,” she nodded, sitting down on the stool. “Gaila Scott is one of my patients and she was very persistent on getting you in here.”

 

Melanie blushed “I hope she didn’t cause too much trouble for you,” she said, worried.

 

“Not at all,” she shook her head. “I’m actually relieved to have a new patient, since all of mine just had their babies between September and the first week of December. Right now it’s just you and Gaila!”

 

After the routine questions and clearing up the medical history, Doctor Lyndon performed the ultrasound. Watching their twins girls flutter about, growing rapidly as their time in the womb came closer and closer to the end, made them both smile.

 

“Have you thought of names?” the doctor asked, setting the computer to print out the photos.

 

“We’ve been so busy with moving out here,” Melanie shook her head. “We really need to crack down on it though. We had a hard time naming our oldest daughter as well.”

 

She smiled, “What’s her name?”

 

“Charlotte Anne,” Chris smiled. “Two years old and a bundle of joy and chaos.”

 

“You’ll have to bring her next time!” Doctor Lyndon nodded. “My youngest is eight and my oldest just graduated from college, so there’s no grandbabies coming for a while on my end.”

 

Melanie giggled, “Charlie will love the toy set up you’ve got in the waiting room,” she nodded, as Chris picked up her clothes from the chair. “And she loves making new friends.”

 

Doctor Lyndon nodded, “Well, I can’t wait to meet her,” she said with a smile. “You’re all set for today and everything looks great in there, but take it easy around the house and when you’re out. These holiday shoppers get crazy towards the end of the month.”

 

“Oh we will,’ Chris nodded. “We’re getting all of the shopping done today and she can do online shopping after that.”

 

“Smart choice!” she nodded. “Amazon has great deals all day, everyday. I’ve been on there constantly!”

 

Saying their goodbyes, Melanie quickly re-dressed, pulling her hat and scarf on, before stepping out of the room. Making an appointment for the following week, they couple quickly dashed out to the car and got in.

 

“Turn the heat up! Turn the heat up!” Melanie shivered, as Chris started the car. “What the hell happened to me? These babies are sucking all my heat into their bodies!”

 

Chris chuckled, “Just give it a few minutes to kick in, Mel,” he said, pulling out of the parking spot. “I’ll go in and get your tea and you can sit here with the heat on.”

 

She smiled, “Kay,” she nodded, sitting back in the seat. “She was really nice.”

 

“She was,” he agreed, pulling out onto the main road. “But I miss Laura.”

 

“Me too,” Melanie pouted. 


	38. Chapter 38

“Charlie, please stop throwing the bows around!” Melanie scolded, as she wrapped a gift box up. “Mommy can’t keep getting on and off the bed to pick them up.”

 

Chris chuckled from the bathroom, “She’s on a roll tonight,” he shouted. “All of these towels are soaked through.”

 

After dinner, the toddler went right into the bath, soaking everything in sight. The tiny rug was filled with water, as it hung over the shower rod, while the towels sat in it. a

 

“I think she dumped the entire bottle of bath bubbles,” he said, coming out. “Charlie, what did you do with the bows!”

 

Charlotte screeched, throwing another bow off the bed. “Pa Pa! Up!” she cried, crawling towards the end of the bed. “Now!”

 

Reaching the bed quickly, Chris managed to stop her from falling off, pushing her back lightly towards Melanie. “Just sit still for a moment,” he begged, moving around to collect the bows off the floor. “Daddy needs to put your clothes on and then brush all that hair.

 

“Mama!”

 

“These are Joanna’s presents,” Melanie said to her, as the naked toddler tried to climb into the shopping bag. “Santa’s still making all of yours now.”

 

Chris snorted as he set the bows down on the bed, moving to get Charlotte’s pajamas. “So you need to be good for us,” he said. “Or else Santa’s gonna send you coal.”

 

Dressing her, Chris moved to sit down at the head of the bed, pulling her onto his lap. “How much more do you need to wrap?” he asked.

 

“I have to wrap up those two pairs of jeans and the sweater for Jo,” she nodded to the shopping bag. “I wrapped up Mom and Dad’s and it’s ready to go to the post office tomorrow morning when you and Len take Jo to school.”

 

“What about your Dad’s gift?” he asked, as Charlotte handed him a green bow. “Did you and Len wrap that up already?”

 

She nodded, “He’s waiting for Joanna to wrap her gift up so he can put it in the box,” she yawned. “Charlie drew him a cute picture in the card she picked out and I put the picture frame in there with it.”

 

“He’s going to love his presents,” Chris smiled. “I wish he could come out this year to spend the holiday with us.’

 

“I know,” she shook her head. “But he’s really adamant on staying with his friend Louis. Poor guy has no family and suffered that heart attack after Thanksgiving, which is terrifying. They’ve been friends since grade school.”

 

“Pa Pa!” Charlotte giggled, trying to rip the paper off the sticky of the bow. “Mine!”

 

Chris smiled and tickled her, “Then we’ll just call him on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” he nodded. “That way he can talk to the kids and to you and Len.”

 

“That’s a good idea,” Melanie smiled, as Chris stuck the bow on Charlotte’s forehead. “Look at you, baby girl! Are you a present?”

 

Charlotte giggled, “Mama! Mine!”

 

Melanie nodded, “You are my present!” she reached out to tweak her nose. “Your both Mommy _and_ Daddy’s present!”

 

He pulled the toddler up and kissed her cheek, before burying his nose into her damp curls. “That strawberry shampoo smells too much like the real deal,” he chuckled. “I could just eat you up!”

 

Charlotte screeched as Chris pretended to gnaw on her neck, “Let’s help Mommy wrap up Jo’s stuff and then we’ll read you some more Harry Potter.”

 

“ “Airy!” she babbled.

 

“That’s right!” Chis nodded, reaching for the IPad on the table next to the bed. “Let’s put this on the charger and we’ll read chapter three of _The Prisoner of Azkaban.”_

_……….._

“Is Charlie too young for Game of Thrones?” Joanna asked a few nights later, as Chris chopped up some strawberries. “The books I mean.”

Chris paused and looked up at his niece, seeing the giant tomb of a novel in her hands. “Jo,” he set the knife down. “Who said you could read that?”

 

“Jim!” she smiled. “We’ve been catching up before Season five starts next year!”

 

He blinked, “You’re ten,” he stated. “That show is a little too risky for you to be watching, honey.”

 

Joanna giggled, “Uncle Chris, I’m not stupid! Daddy made sure I understood what I was watching before he told Jim it was okay for me to watch.”

 

“Your Dad said it was okay to watch?” he asked, shocked. “He gave Aunt Mellie a hard time when you two were watching that other show that had sex and foul language.”

 

She rolled her eyes, “That’s because he thinks it’s too graphic and not how a real lady should present herself,” she shrugged. “I just think he’s afraid that I’ll want fancy shoes that I can’t even walk in.”

 

Chris snorted, “You should’ve told me you guys were watching that show,” he said, resuming his chopping. “Aunt Mellie refuses to watch it with me, but she’ll watch Boardwalk Empire.”

 

“I love that show too!” Joanna exclaimed. “I read a book about the prohibition over the summer!”

 

“Read what over the summer?” Leonard asked, carrying Charlotte into the kitchen. “Princess wants some bananas and some juice.”

 

Chris shook his head with a laugh, “Jo and I are discussing HBO’s quality shows and how you let her watch the two most violent ones on the network.

 

Leonard shrugged, “If you get past all the nudity and violence, they both have historical aspects that she’s going to learn anyways later on.”

 

“Are you almost done chopping those strawberries?” Melanie asked, coming in from the den. “I’m _starving!”_

“Patience my dear wife,” Chris shook his head. “Anyways, Charlie is a bit too young for Game of Thrones, Jo. Maybe when she’s twenty-five you can read it to her.”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “God, not that stupid show again,” she muttered, moving to take the whip cream out of the refrigerator.  “Come on Christopher! You’re slacking!”

 

Chris muttered and glared over at her, “Keep pushing me and you wont have any,” he warned, as she squirted the topping onto her finger. “And don’t eat too much of that!”

 

“Whatever you say, sir,” she winked.

 

………..

 

As Christmas grew nearer and nearer, a week to be exact, the last minute shoppers crowded the streets of Seattle. Banned from going to the mall or the supermarket, Melanie was stuck at home for most of the day, only going out to the weekly doctor’s visit and to Starbucks to get her tea and cookie.

 

“The look on my sisters face when you told her she couldn’t come with,” Leonard shook his head, eyeing the different brands of brown sugar on the shelf. “Thank god she’s your wife and not mine.”

 

Chris scowled, “Is it too much of me to ask her to stay home?” he asked, as Charlotte squealed from the seat. “I don’t want anything to happen to her that would put her in early labor.”

 

“I know that,” Leonard said, as he tossed two bags into the wagon. “But you didn’t have to yell at her.”

 

Taking a cookie out of the open box, Chris handed it to Charlotte. “I know and I do plan on apologizing,” he nodded, as Charlotte nibbled on the cookie. “She just drives me crazy sometimes.”

 

“Pa!’ Charlotte held the cookie up for him.

 

“No thank you, Charlie,” he brushed the crumbs off her face. “You eat it.”

 

Leonard sighed, “What is this one going to eat?” he asked, looking down at the list that took days to put together. “Is she going to eat ham and turkey?”

 

Chris chuckled, “She’ll eat anything you put in front of her,” he shook his head. “She’s just like her Mama.”

 

They moved through the aisles of the grocery store, making sure to get enough of everything on the list and then some. The stock up of apple juice, goldfish and other snacks that Charlie consumed throughout the day were added into the cart, along with bananas and a carton of ice cream for Melanie.

 

“Good lord,” Leonard shook his head, as he doubled checked his list. “I swear, if these people don’t bring their promised side dishes, they’re never coming back for holidays again.”

 

“Oh stop,” Chris chuckled as Charlotte held her Minnie mouse and box of cookies in her arms. “We’re going to have so much food, we’ll be eating leftovers for weeks.”

 

Pulling the cart up to a register, Leonard and Chris started unloading everything onto the belt. “Oh damn! Leonard hissed. “I forgot the cookies Mel wanted.

 

“Go get them,” he nodded. “I’ll put the rest of this up.”

 

Leonard nodded and quickly made his way back into the crowd, leaving Chris to take the rest of the food out, before pushing the cart up..

 

“The lady has to scan your cookies,” he said, as the woman scanned the card of Leonard’s keys. “Come on.”

 

Taking the box from Charlotte’s grasp, Chris handed it over to the woman. Startled by the loss, Charlotte quickly went into a meltdown; her chubby face turning bright red as she howled for her cookies.

 

“Here we go,” Chris cooed, as he took the box back. “See? The lady needed scan them in the computer.”

 

Charlotte continued to wail as Leonard came back, “What happened?” he asked, as he set the package of cookies onto the belt.

 

“Took her cookies to scan,” Chris sighed, hugging the toddler. “Charlie, shhh.”

 

It took almost ten minutes to ring and bag the entire order, as Leonard paid. He ignored Chris’s protest of paying for Charlotte and Melanie’s snacks, insisting that it was fine.

  
“It’s not like we can’t afford it, Chris,” Leonard shook his head, as Charlotte continued to cry. “You two spent a lot of money this month between the house and presents. We don’t mind paying for apple juice and their cookie obsession.”

 

“It’s not just that,” Chris said, as he pulled the hood of Charlotte’s jacket up. “Mel told me about the stuff you bought for the house, which was very nice of you and Jim. But I don’t want you to think we’re taking advantage of you.”

 

Leonard rolled his eyes, “You’re my brother,” he said. “We love the two of you and we love helping you guys out no matter how big or little it is.”

 

Finding the car, Chris quickly got Charlotte into the car seat, strapping her in with Minnie and her cookies. “Calm down, Charlie,” he said, as she cried. “We’re going home and you can eat all the cookies you want.”

 

Closing the door, Chris met Leonard at the back of the car and helped him with the bags, stowing them into the back of the SUV before closing the door.

 

“ I know you guys aren’t strapped for cash, “Leonard said, as he started the car. “But all of us know how crazy it’s going to get once the twins are born and when it’s time to put everything together in the house.”

 

“Don’t remind me,” Chris groaned, as he looked back at Charlotte. “I still have to find an electrician, plumber and oil company to look at the house.”

 

“So will you calm down and let us help you guys?” Leonard asked, waiting as a couple pushed their wagon past the car. “If you need us to get groceries, we’ll get them. Diapers, formula, whatever it is that you guys need and can’t get at the moment, we will get it for you.”

 

Chris nodded, “But don’t think you’re getting away without proper payment,” he warned, as Leonard backed out of the spot. “Once the house is settled and we have the twins on a schedule, I want everyone’s Sundays free. We’re going to do what _your_ family did and have Sunday dinner.”

 

Leonard glanced over at him, “Mel told you about all that?” he asked, surprised.

 

“Every Sunday with the family?” Chris asked, nodding. “She told me all about Sunday dinners at your grandparents place on the farm. Now that we’re back for good, we can finally do something like that.”

 

“Well,” Leonard nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “Count us in.”

 

 


	39. Chapter 39

The rest of December flew quickly, as Christmas came and went, bringing the family together and providing Charlotte with enough clothes and toys to keep her occupied until the spring. Along with the extensive booty the two year old collected, Chris and Melanie received many gifts for their new house and for their twin girls; gifts that were unexpected but graciously accepted with warm hearts.

 

After New Years, the growing family finally moved into their new home, before Chris and the boys jetted off to New York to finish packing up the apartment and turning in the keys. During those few days, Melanie and Nyota, along with Scotty and Spock, unpacked boxes and helped with the heaviest items that Melanie couldn’t move or pick up. By the time Chris came home, several more suitcases were unpacked and their items found new places to live in. Along with the rest of their belongings, the trip to New York also brought back another pleasant gift. Leonard had finally proposed to Jim, after spurring the idea on Melanie and Chris a few days beforehand and making them swear to secrecy.

 

“I am so glad it’s over,” Chris sighed, as he and Melanie cleared up Charlotte’s new room. “Right Charlie? No more moving around!”

 

“Pa!” Charlotte trotted over to him, dressed in one of the many princess costumes she received for Christmas. “Mine!”

 

He chuckled, “That’s right,” he said, picking her up. “This is your room! All of this is yours!”

 

Melanie snorted as she placed the folded laundry into the new dresser, “Give her a few months and this room will be a disaster,” she noted. “At least we hid all the crayons and markers.”

 

Charlotte babbled as she was placed on her big girl bed, crawling over to the mountain of toys that were placed there.

 

“Once we paint it and put those cute pictures Nyota found at that craft fair in Canada, it’ll look even better,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “I saw all the paint swatches on the table in the dining room. I see you and Nyota picked out a few options for downstairs.”

 

“Nothing’s been decided yet,” Melanie shrugged. “Nyota was listening to me rant about how certain colors could help make a room look bigger or smaller and the type of style we want for the house.”

 

He kissed the side of her head, “I do like that dark brown for the living room,” he shrugged. “But we have from now til the summer to really figure it out.”

 

Melanie smiled, “I know,” she nodded, as Charlotte threw her toys onto the floor. “As long as we don’t have to paint this room or the twins room pink.”

 

“No pink,” he shook his head. “Everyone that has a girl always assumes pink is the right color for their room.”

 

“Mama!” Charlotte climbed off her bed. “ ‘Hungee!”

 

Chris chuckled, “You’re hungry?” he asked, looking down at her. “Is Mommy hungry too?”

 

“Of course,” Melanie chuckled. “I’m always hungry.”

“What do we want for lunch?” Chris asked. “Uncle Bones and I went shopping last night so we have a lot of food for you.”

 

Charlotte bounced on her toes, “Hungee!”

 

“Just put a pot of water on for mac and cheese,” Melanie giggled. “She’ll eat enough of it to keep her full til dinner.”

 

Chris nodded, “Okay Charlie,” he bent down to pick her up. “Let’s go make some lunch!”

 

……………

 

“I can’t wait to get these kids out of me,” Melanie whined, as Gaila and Jim moved around the bedroom. “I can’t even see my goddamn feet anymore!”

 

Gaila snickered as she unwrapped perfume bottles, setting them neatly on Melanie’s dresser. “They look like mine,” she shrugged. “Swollen and begging for a massage and pedicure.”

“You have like four weeks left? Five?” Jim frowned. “Once you go into labor you’ll be singing a different tune, especially when you’re planning on pushing them both out instead of getting a c-section.”

 

Melanie and Gaila shuddered, “I rather have my vagina ripped apart,” Gaila admitted. “At least it goes back and you don’t have a scar.”

 

“And the idea of someone shoving their hands into your stomach?” Melanie gagged. “Oh god, can we stop talking about this now?”

 

Jim rolled his eyes, “So I have all your clothes in here,” he pointed to the closet. “Everything is organized and put together by item and your shoes are on the floor here. Do not fuck this up. I worked too hard to get it to look like this.”

 

Melanie looked at the neatly organized closet with wide eyes, “Could you do Charlie’s closet like that?” she asked. “How the hell do you find time to do these things? Doesn’t my brother give you enough attention during the day?”

 

“Oh trust me,” Jim grinned. “Your brother gives me _enough_ attention throughout the day. Especially now that we’re engaged.”

 

“Ughhh, don’t talk about the sex that you’re having, “Gaila whined. “I have to _beg_ Scotty and even when he does say yes, it’s like he’s fucking an old woman and not his extremely horny wife.”

 

Jim snorted as he moved the empty boxes out into the hall, “You poor thing,” he shook his head.  “What about you, Mel? Has Chris been bugging you for some sexy times?”

 

She shrugged, “We try to get some time in, but we’ve been busy settling in,” she yawned. “And Charlotte’s been in and out of her bed and running into here now that she has the freedom to do so.”

 

“When was the last time you did it?” Gaila asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

 

“Sunday,” she shrugged. “We put Charlie down for a nap and took the opportunity for some adult playtime.”

 

Jim blinked, “That was two days ago,” he stated, shocked. “I just thought.. since you look so uncomfortable that you wouldn’t be having it at all.”

 

Melanie snorted, “Once you find the most comfortable position it’s not a big deal,” she said, as Gaila pouted. “But I think we’re going to cut back between now and when it’s time to deliver. My hips aren’t feeling the strain put on them, especially when I have to spread my legs so goddamn wide.”

 

“Oh my god,” Jim shook his head, covering his mouth. “I can picture it in my head and it’s not as sexy as I thought it would be. Oh god, make it stop!”

 

The girls giggled, “You should do it in a chair!” Gaila exclaimed, clapping her hands. “You can’t just stop having sex when it’s perfectly fine to!”

 

“No, no, no,” Jim shook his head. “Please stop! Pleaseeee!”

 

“What’s all that noise up there?!” Chris shouted from the stairs. “Why is Jim whining like a girl?”

 

Melanie snorted, “Just having some girl talk!” she shouted back, as Jim shook his head. “I hope Scotty figured out the wiring for the television in the basement.”

  
Gaila nodded, “Scotty’s good with that stuff,” she shrugged. “I’m surprised Chris couldn’t do it himself.”

 

“He tried by Charlotte tried to climb onto his back,” Melanie said, as she pulled herself off the bed. “And I can’t keep chasing her around the house when he’s down there.”

 

“Don’t run, don’t run!” they heard from the hall. “Charlie, do not run!

 

The toddler squealed as her tiny feet stomped into the hardwood floor of the hallway, before bursting into the room. “Mama! Giggy!”

 

A few seconds later, Chris stood in the doorway of the bedroom and watched as Charlotte went straight for the box of scarves and hats, pulling each item out and throwing them onto the floor.

 

“What happened to her clothes?” Jim snorted, as Gaila put a hat on her head.

 

“She spilled juice all over them,” Chris sighed, as Charlotte squealed. “Thank god her underwear escaped the same fate.”

 

“You look so pretty,” Gaila cooed, as a Charlotte held out a green scarf. “You want Aunt Giggy to make a bow for you? How about a we put some clothes on first?”

 

Melanie shook her head, “This girl,” she sighed. “You never want to keep your clothes on, Charlie. What are we going to do when it’s time for you to go to school?”

 

Chris shrugged, “We could homeschool her?” he offered, watching as Charlotte teetered around with a hat and a bunch of scarves in her hand.

 

She stopped in front of him, holding up a heavy wool scarf to him. “Is this for me?” he asked, reaching down to take it from her. “Thank you, sweetheart!”

 

Charlotte then moved to Jim, holding up a floral printed scarf, to which Jim took with a big smile. “This looks so pretty,” he said, wrapping the scarf around his neck. “Thank you!”

 

“Mama!” Charlotte squealed, rushing towards her.

 

“Is this one for me?” she asked, taking the green scarf from her. “You’re such a sweet girl, Charlie! Mommy loves your present!”

 

“OI! IF YER DONE GABBIN UP THERE, AH WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE FIXED!” Scotty shouted from downstairs.

 

Gaila rolled her eyes, “What a baby,” she muttered, wrapping the hot pink and blue scarf around her neck. “If you hear screaming, don’t panic. It’s just me kicking Scotty in the balls.”

 

Jim snorted as Gaila breezed out of the room, screaming at Scotty to shut his “fat mouth”, as Melanie lightly kicked the scarves out of her way.

 

“Let’s go downstairs,” she nodded, squatting down slowly to pick Charlotte up. “I’ll make some food and put this one down with a movie.”

 

…………

 

 

Charlotte picked up the makeup brush and tried to shove the end into her mouth, only to screech when Melanie took it away.

 

“You can’t put that in your mouth,” Melanie shook her head, as Charlotte made her grabby hands. “This is for your face, baby girl.” 

“NO!” she screeched, her face crumpling as tears welled in her eyes. “MINE!”

 

Melanie sighed, “It’s for your face,” she said gently, running the brush gently across Charlotte’s forehead. “See? Doesn’t that feel nice?”

 

Charlotte fell silent for a moment, before a huge grin pulled across her face. “Mama Mama, mineee!” she squealed, as the brush danced across her nose.

 

“You like that, huh?” Melanie snickered, as Charlotte squealed. “When you’re much older, then you can have your own brush. But for now, you’re just too young for this stuff!”

 

“Are you all set?” Chris asked, as he came into the room. “Len is downstairs waiting for you.”

 

Melanie nodded, slipping the makeup back into the bag. “Just take her before she realizes I put the makeup brush away,” she begged. “I have a feeling that I’ll need to hide all this stuff when she’s older.”

 

Chris snorted as he collected Charlotte, “I don’t know why you insist on wearing that stuff,” he shook his head. “You’re beautiful without it.”

 

“Oh stop,” she snorted, putting the makeup bag on the dresser. “I look like I haven’t slept in years.”

 

“Tell Mama she’s beautiful,” Chris said, jiggling Charlotte lightly. “Say “Mama you the most beautiful Mama in the whole world.”

 

“Pa Pa, hungee!” she patted his cheek. “Hungee”

 

Melanie snickered, “There’s your answer,” she said, patting his arm as she made her way out of the bedroom.

 

Moving down the staircase, Melanie smiled as Leonard looked up from his phone. “Hey,” he smiled, as she pulled him into a hug. “You look gorgeous!”

 

“Gorgeous?” she grinned, turning to look at Chris. “All I get is beautiful from you, but my brother gives me gorgeous. Chris, you’re slackin!”

 

Leonard frowned, “What?” he asked, as Melanie slipped her foot into a boot. “What did I miss?”

 

“I’ll tell you over lunch,” she said, holding onto his arm for balance. “Okay, Mama’s going!”

 

Charlotte reached out for her, “Mama! No!” she shook her head. “ “Ones!”

 

Leonard chuckled, “We’ll be back soon,” he promised, kissing her cheek. “You be good and Uncle Bones will play with you later.”

 

Grabbing her coat, Melanie quickly kissed Chris, before kissing Charlotte on the cheek. “There’s a fresh bottle of apple juice in the fridge and don’t give her anything with carrots. It’s not agreeing with her tummy these days.”

 

Chris nodded as they started out the door, “Be careful out there on the road,” he warned, as she pulled her hood up. “I mean it Len. No speed racing!”

 

“I don’t speed race!” Leonard scowled, as he unlocked his truck. “I know how to drive a car, especially with a pregnant woman as my passenger!”

 

“Bye!” Melanie waved as she climbed into the car.

 

Watching as the truck backed out of the driveway, Chris shut the front door and turned to Charlotte. “Let’s go make your lunch,” he sighed, kissing her forehead. “Then we’ll watch a movie.”

 

 

 


	40. Chapter 40

“So, Jim and I are thinking about getting married next weekend,” Leonard announced, as Melanie took a sip of her water.

 

She coughed violently, startling the couple at the table next to them. “A-what?”

 

Leonard nodded, “When did you guys decide this?” Melanie asked. “You’ve been engaged for a week!”

 

“Jim stated his case last night and it was a good one,” Leonard shrugged. “We want to do it before you and Gaila have the kids.”

 

“But do _you_ want to get married this fast?” Melanie asked. “Don’t do it because you’re worried about us not being there, Lenny. You know we’ll be there for you and Jim.”

 

He smiled and reached across the table to hold her hand, “I know,” he nodded. “But I’ve done the long engagement thing once and I don’t want to do it again.”

 

She nodded, “It wouldn’t be a crazy wedding either,” Leonard continued, as he cut up his steak. “Town hall. Just like you and Chris did.”

 

“But what about Nyota and Spock?” she frowned. “You know Jim wouldn’t dare get married without Nyota there. She’s the Miranda Hobbs to his Carrie Bradshaw.”

 

Leonard rolled his eyes, “That goddamn show,” he muttered, as she giggled. “He called Nyota this morning and she booked a flight before they hung up. We’re going to all Dad tonight and see if he can get out here for it The only one that might not be able to come for the actually ceremony is Pavel because he has a big exam that determines his fate of getting in the Master’s program.”

 

“As long as you don’t mind me wearing yoga pants, a sweater and my boots, I’m in.”

 

“No one has to get dressed up,” he shook his head. “It’s going to be so goddamn casual, ya’ll are gonna think it’s a court meeting instead of a wedding.”

 

Melanie snickered, “Not as long as Jim has a say,” she warned, smiling. “I’m really happy for you. For both of you.”

 

Leonard smiled, “Me too,” he nodded. “While he drives me up the goddamn wall, I love that pain in the ass.”

 

“That’s how I feel about Chris,” she snorted, picking up her fork. “And Jo must be happy as hell! The two of you have raised her into an extraordinary young woman, Len.”

 

“Oh don’t cry,” he begged, as Melanie dabbed her eyes with a napkin. “I didn’t want to make you cry.”

 

Melanie huffed a laugh and waved her hand at him, “It’s nothing,” she shook her head. “I cry at everything these days, it’s ridiculous. I was hysterical last night watching Chris chop up tomatoes.”

 

He snorted, “Oh Jesus,” he shook his head.

 

“I scared him too, because it was just out of nowhere,” Melanie giggled at the memory. “When he asked what was wrong, I just looked at him and said “The way you’re cutting those tomatoes is so beautiful!” The man probably thinks I’m losing my mind!”

 

“You’ve always been like this though,” he shrugged, shaking some pepper onto his potatoes. “But we love you anways.”

 

She shook her head, “Do you guys even have a wedding registry?” she asked. “You know, stuff for the house or for your sexy times.”

 

Leonard snorted into his glass, “Do you really call it sexy times?” he asked, as she nodded. “Oh god, do you go up to Chris and go “Honey, Charlie’s down for a nap. Do you wanna have some sexy times?”

 

“Sometimes,” she smirked. “Or I just jump him and we end up doing it right in that one place.”

 

“Jesus,” he made a face. “And no, we don’t have a registry and we don’t want anything. We just want our family to come and enjoy this one special day with us, come over to the house to eat and that’s it.”

 

Melanie nodded slowly, “Gaila and I will pick out something for your adult activities,” she nodded, spearing a pepper with her fork. “And don’t bother protesting or trying to talk me out of it! This will be fun for us because we’re slowing down in the sex department these days.”

 

He grumbled, “Fine,” he huffed. “But nothing crazy, Mel. There are certain things we don’t do, which I will not discuss in public, so you can call Jim later and ask him.”

 

“Oh, I will,” she snickered.

 

……………..

 

On the day that Leonard McCoy married Jim Kirk, it was a surprisingly sunny day in January. Dressed in casual yet neat attire, the Pikes met their family at town hall shortly before noon, where the grooms waited patiently for their turn to say “I Do.”

It was a perfect day, as Joanna chatted excitedly about Jim finally becoming her “Dad”. David McCoy, who flew out the morning before, was the proud father, happy that his son managed to find someone that loved him and treated both him and Joanna with respect unlike Joceyln did. By twelve-fifteen, Leonard and Jim were married and left with a hyphenated last name and two silver bands.

 

“I can’t believe you’re married!” Melanie squealed, as they stood in the kitchen of Jim and Leonard’s house. “My big brother is one of us now!”

 

Leonard rolled his eyes as Melanie pulled Jim into a hug, kissing him nosily on the cheek. “Shouldn’t you be sitting down on the sofa?” he asked, as pots and pans clattered on the counter.

 

“Oh stop,” Melanie waved her hand at him. “I’m fine and I have to put a cup together for Charlie.”

 

Jim smiled, “I’ll do it!” he nodded, steering her towards the table. “And I’ll make you a virgin Shirley Temple and we’ll crack open a bag of chips.”

 

“Dad!” Joanna rushed into the kitchen. “Aunt Ny’s here with the cake!”

 

“Okay!” he nodded, moving to the refrigerator. “I have to make room for it in here, but she can bring it on in.”

 

Melanie smiled as Joanna rushed back out, “How’s it feel?” she asked, as Jim put together a sippy cup for Charlie. “Being a Dad now?”

 

He laughed, “I’ve felt like a Dad for a while to be honest,” he shrugged. “But to hear he say it so fast like that? It’s the best feeling in the world.

 

“I’m happy that she’s saying it,” Leonard nodded, giving him a quick kiss.

 

“Okay Charlie girl,” Chris said, as he carried her into the kitchen. “I know you’re hungry, but houseplants are not for eating.”

 

“I have her juice,” Jim said, holding up the cup. “And I think we still have her baby cookies from when you guys were here.”

 

Chris took the cup from him, “Thank you,” he sighed in relief, before carrying her over to the table. “Sit with Mama and be good please.”

 

“What are we eating?” Melanie asked, as Nyota and Joanna came into the kitchen. “Hey!”

 

Nyota smiled as she set the box down on the table, bending down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Hello!”

 

Leonard pulled a few things out of the refrigerator, “Barbeque for us,” he called out. “Vegan for Spock and kiddie food for Charlie.”

 

“Hmmm barbeque,” Melanie sighed. “Are you going outside to grill?”

 

Jim nodded, “It’s the only way to eat barbeque!” he exclaimed. “We use that thing all year round, except for when it’s thundering out .”

  
“It’s below thirty outside,” Chris shook his head. “Are you crazy?”

 

Leonard snorted, “We’ll be fine,” he insisted. “If you’re too worried about the cold, you can have full reign of the stove and oven.”

 

Jim nodded, “We promise not to talk about you outside and laugh at how you can’t handle the cold,” he said, smiling innocently.

 

Melanie and Nyota snorted, “Don’t tease him,” she warned. “He’s cautious with a potential flu outbreak, because I can’t get sick between now and delivery.”

 

“I’m sorry, “Jim nodded, sobering up from his giggles. “Just tell us how you want your chicken and which sauce you’re craving. We bought a shitload of food, so there’s going to be plenty leftover.”

 

“Lenny knows how I like my food,” Melanie nodded, as she fed Charlotte pieces of cheese from the platter on the table. “But make it extra crispy this time! “

 

Charlotte squealed, slapping her hands on the table top, “Mama! More!” she demanded, grabbing a handful of cheddar slices.

 

“Whoa,” Chris chuckled, prying her fingers open. “One at a time.”

 

Grabbing his jacket off the back of the chair, Leonard grabbed the matches and lighter fluid, heading towards the backdoor. “I’m going to start up the grill,” he said. “Start putting that food on plates and get Hikaru to chop up those vegetables he wants. 

 

“Uncle Hikaruuuu!!!” Joanna shouted, as she rushed out of the kitchen. “Daddy wants you in the kitchen!”

 

“Well,” Chris chuckled. “That’s one way of getting things done!”

 

………..

It was nearing midnight, when Melanie and Chris finally arrived home from the party. A sleeping toddler and several trays filled with leftovers and cake, the couple quietly made their way into the house. David, not due to leave til Monday afternoon, followed close behind with the bag of food in his hand.

 

“I’ll take the baby,” Chris said, as Melanie pulled off her coat. “You go on upstairs and get ready for bed and I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

 

“Okay,” she nodded, starting up the stairs. “There’s enough space in the fridge to put that entire bag in there.”

  
She then turned to David, “The guest room is down the hall,” she kissed his cheek. “Extra blankets are in the closet and if you need anything just let me know.”  
  
David chuckled, “I’ll be fine, darlin’” he hugged her. “You go on upstairs and get some rest.”

 

Chris started towards the kitchen, a bag in hand and Charlotte snoring against his shoulder. Taking the stairs slowly, Melanie made her way down the hall and into the bedroom, pulling the sweater over her head.

 

“Hmmm,” she sighed, grabbing the worn out pajamas from the chair.

  
As she headed towards the bathroom, the familiar feeling of pain ripped across her belly. Gasping, Melanie leaned against the doorframe to the bathroom, her hand pressing against her side.

 

“Oh no,” she shook her head. “CHRIS!”

 

She could hear him coming up the stairs, whispering apologies to Charlotte as he made his way down the hall quickly.

 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, alert and worried. “What happened?”

 

Melanie turned to look at him, “Don’t freak out,” she held her hand up. “But I think I just had a contraction.”

 

He set Charlotte down on their bed and went to her, “What?” he asked, as she took his hand into hers. “Are you sure?”

 

“Either it was that or I’m in for a bad stomachache and a date with the toilet later,” she sighed. “But considering that we have three weeks to be considered full term, I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to come now. Twins don't always make it to the full forty weeks in the womb.”

  
“What do you want to do?” he asked. “Do you want to go to the hospital? Call the doctor?”

 

Melanie shook her head, “I’m going to take a shower,” she said. “Then I’ll just wait a little while, just to see if it’s really contractions.”

 

Chris, hesitant about the idea, nodded. “I’ll put Charlie down in her bed and then I’ll put a bag together just in case,” he said. “Do you want something to drink? Water?”

 

“Water is fine,” she patted his hand. “Don’t call Len. It’s their wedding night and I don’t want to ruin it by giving them false news.”

 

“I won’t call them until we know for sure,” he promised. “Just be careful in the shower and if you need me you shout. I’ll let Dad know, that way if we need to leave, he can stay up with Charlie.”

 

She nodded, stepping into the bathroom and making her way over to the shower. Once the water was good and ready, she removed the rest of her clothes and slowly climbed into the tub, pulling the curtain shut.

 

“If you’re ready to come out, you better let me know now,” she mumbled, rubbing her belly. “Otherwise, you two better stay in there for another week or two.”

 

 

 


	41. Chapter 41

As the hours went out, Melanie paced the bedroom and the hallway, checking in on Charlotte as she slept quietly in her bed or doing laundry.

 

“I think we should call Doctor Lyndon,” Chris said, watching as she paced at the foot of their bed. “You’ve been like this for almost six hours, Mel. Face it, you’re in labor.”

 

She nodded, “I know.”

 

He sat up, “Come sit down and I’ll call,” he said, moving to grab the phone off the nightstand. “Do you want me to call someone? Nyota?”

 

“I’ll call her a little later,” Melanie shook her head. “It’s almost six and they’re sleeping.”

 

“Just try to relax,” Chris said, kissing her forehead.

 

Melanie watched as he dialed Doctor Lyndon’s emergency number, wincing as another contraction came and went.

 

“She’s fine for the most part,” Chris said into the phone. “Just a lot of pacing around the house and whatnot.”

 

He nodded and turned to Melanie, “How far apart are your contractions?” he asked.

 

“I had three in the last hour,” she groaned. “I had one not even five minutes ago and right now I feel a lot of pressure.”

 

Chris relied the information to Doctor Lyndon, as Melanie slowly stood up. “Oh god,” she whimpered, looking down at the floor. “Aw shit.”

 

“What?” Chris asked, turning around. “Did.. did your water just break?”

 

Melanie wiggled her toes as the water dripped from under her nightshirt, “Guess we should tell Daddy to get up and watch the baby,” she said, looking up at him.

 

“Okay, her water just broke,” Chris said into the phone, as he moved across the room to get a pair of pants out of the closet. “ We will be there in about twenty minutes give or take. We just need to wake up Grandpa and let him know.”

 

Hanging up a few seconds later, Chris quickly helped Melanie out of her soaked underwear and into a clean pair along with the pants. “Put this on,” he said, holding out a sweatshirt for her. “I’m going to wake up your Dad and let him know that we’re going.”

 

She nodded, “Okay,” she mumbled, watching as he rushed out of the room.  “Oh my god.”

Grabbing her cellphone, she quickly texted Jim to let him know, not wanting to call the house and wake them. The last thing she wanted to do, was ruin their wedding night with rushing to the hospital.

 

“How is she?” David asked, as he and Chris made their way down the hall.

 

“She’s fine. Her water just broke,” he said, as they both came into the room. “How do you feel?”

 

Melanie shrugged, “Relieved that it’s finally happening,” she admitted. “But not looking forward to going through delivery again.”

 

David made his way over to her, “You’re gonna be fine,” he kissed her forehead. “I’ll stay with Charlie and when your brother and Jim decide to head out, I’ll have them come by to get us.”

 

Chris quickly changed in the bathroom, tossing his pajamas onto the bed as he grabbed his shoes from the closet. “There’s food in the fridge for Charlie and enough stuff to keep her busy for the time being.”

 

“We’ll be fine, son,” David nodded, as he rubbed Melanie’s back. “You two just get to the hospital safely and worry about the babies.”

 

“I want to say bye to Charlie,” Melanie said, as they helped her up. “Before we go.”

 

Chris nodded and led her down the hall to Charlotte’s room, stepping in quietly. Making her way over to the bed, Melanie sat down gently and reached out to run her fingers through her hair.

 

“Mommy will be home soon,” she whispered, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. “Your sisters are on the way, baby girl.”

 

After a few minutes, Melanie gave her another kiss and pulled the blanket up to tuck her in. She then turned to Chris, who reached down to lay his hand on Charlotte’s back, gently rubbing it before pulling away.

 

“Ready to go?” he asked, helping her up to her feet.

 

She nodded, “I’m ready.”

…………

 

Two hours after checking in and being set up in a room, Melanie looked out the window as the sun slowly rose. The light beeping of the fetal monitors threw her off, as she tried to concentrate on relaxing as the contractions came and went. Upon arrival, Doctor Lyndon made sure they were in a room quickly and was with them not even ten minutes after their arrival. After changing into a hospital gown and hooked up to various machines, Doctor Lyndon came in and did a quick check to see how far along she was.

 

“Just about three centimeters,” she nodded, pulling the gloves off. “I’m going to do a scan every hour, depending on how far apart the contractions get and how fast you dilate. Last time I saw you, the babies were both in the proper position for a vaginal delivery.

 

“And let’s hope they stay like that,” Melanie mumbled, as Chris set a cup of ice chips down on the table. “Did you call Nyota? Or Len?”

 

He nodded, “Nyota will be here in a half an hour,” he said, as Doctor Lyndon set up the ultrasound machine. “Len yelled at me for waiting to call, which was a given.”

 

Melanie rolled her eyes, “But he’s going to leave Jo at Scotty and Gaila’s, and pick up your Dad and Charlie.”

 

“Okay, let’s get a look at these two,” Doctor Lyndon said, pushing up Melanie’s hospital gown, squeezing the gel out, before pressing the wand against the curve of her belly. “Well, they’re still head down and aiming for the exit. They shouldn’t rotate feet first at this point, but you never know.”

 

“How bad will it look down there,” Melanie asked, as she wiped her belly dry.

 

Doctor Lyndon snorted, “Honestly?” she asked, as Melanie nodded. “It’ll probably be a while before you two have sex again, if that’s what you’re worried about. While your babies may be smaller than say Charlotte was when she was born, it’s still two babies coming out of the same place. You’re going to be stretched out and very sore for a while, Mel.”

 

She shuddered, “Oh god,” she nearly pouted. “Chris, no more babies after this. Three in two years is enough for a while.”

 

“Three is enough,” Chris shook his head.

 

Doctor Lyndon snorted, “I want you to rest,” she said, patting Melanie’s hand. “You’ve got the television which has basic crap cable, but I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy your time.”

 

“Yayy,” Melanie said weakly.

 

“I’ll come back to check on you in a little while,” the doctor nodded. “If you need anything, the nurse outside will get it for you.”

 

Grabbing her chart, the doctor left the room, as the couple settled down for a long day.

“I wonder if our insurance covers vagina reconstruction,” Melanie huffed, as Chris turned the television on for her.

 

“It doesn’t,” he snorted. “It’ll be fine, Mel. Your body will recover over time and it’ll be fine.”

 

Melanie sighed, “It’s going to be awful,” she corrected him.

 

He sat down in the chair next to the bed, “We’ll worry about it another day,” he squeezed her hand. “Just try to relax for now.”

 

“I wonder when we’re supposed to call for the epidural thingy,” she mumbled, shifting on the bed. “I should’ve asked all these questions months ago, when Laura and I were going over the birth plan. Now that it’s here, I feel like I have no idea what to do!”

 

“You can get one now,” Chris said, as he flipped through the channels. “One of those baby blogs I read back when you were pregnant with Charlie. Some women get them when they’re like four centimeters dilated, take a three hour nap and wake up ready to push.”

 

Melanie grunted, gripping the thin blanket as a contraction hit her, pushing the heels of her feet down. Taking her hand, Chris winced as she squeezed it tightly, feeling the bones crack. Once it passed, Melanie sagged down against the pillow and let out a shaky breath.

 

“I wasn’t kidding when I said no more babies,” she finally said. “We’re done.”

 

“Okay,” he nodded, not wanting to start an argument with her. “Just try to relax, Mel. We’re in for a long day.”

 

……………….

 

By noon, Melanie was done. Done with being pregnant and everything that came with it, as she went through the endless amount of contractions as the early morning hours went by. She had all but threatened to cut off her husbands balls, as he tried to calm her down; Jim hightailed out of the room as the first contraction came on during his presence.

 

“Nope, nope, nope,” he shook his head, as he backed out of the room. “I’ll wait outside.”

 

Finally, as the pain became too much for her, Melanie had the epidural requested and administered ten minutes later. As soon as the drugs started hitting her, Melanie relaxed and became more tolerable as the rest of her visitors came in to see her.

 

“What are yeh on?” Scotty gasped, as she babbled about carriages and ponies.

 

“Something that you really need to talk Gaila into getting,” Chris whispered, as the girls chatted. “Trust me, you should’ve seen her an hour ago.”

 

After Scotty and Gaila left to get some food before waiting outside with the others, David came back in with Charlotte, who immediately wanted to be by her mother.

 

“Hi baby,” Melanie smiled, as Charlotte was placed next to her. “I missed you so much.”

 

“Mama Mama!” Charlotte screeched. “Up! Up!”

 

Chris chuckled, “Mommy can’t get up right now,” he said, moving to sit on the side of the bed. “Guess what? By the end of the day you’re going to be a big sister!”

 

As Melanie and Charlotte lounged in the hospital bed, Leonard came back in after getting food for Joanna; a nurse cut their visitor limit to four after finding a “mini-party” in the room.

 

“How’s she doin’?” he asked, watching as Melanie read to Charlotte. “She doesn’t seem to be in much pain.”

 

“She’s halfway through,” Chris nodded. “Doctor said another hour or two and she’ll be ready to push. Which is amazing, since it was almost sixteen hours with Charlie.”

 

Leonard nodded, “Drugs will do wonderful things to the body,” he muttered. “Did you guys talk about names?”

 

“A little,” Chris shrugged. “But I have a feeling they’ll come to us once we see them. It’s much more difficult when you have to name two babies instead of one.”

 

Melanie paused in her reading, turning her head away, as a contraction came. Chris quickly stepped away from the door and made his way around the hospital bed, reaching for her.

  
“Breathe,” he rubbed her back, as she coiled up in pain. “Come on, Mel. Breathe!”

 

Opening her mouth, Melanie let out a shaky gasp, as she struggled through the pain. Not wanting to scare Charlie, she tried her best to stay still, as the contraction came to an end.

 

“Mama?”

 

She turned and found Charlie staring up at her with a frown, “Mama, owie?”

“Mommy’s tummy hurts,” she nodded, as Chris watched the fetal monitor closely. “But soon it wont and she’ll be okay.”

 

Charlotte reached up for her, “I know you want me to play,” Melanie sighed, as she pulled the toddler closer. “How about you and Uncle Bones go and get your baby cookies from Grandpa?”

 

“You want me to keep her out for a bit?” Leonard asked, making his way towards them. “Dad packed a bunch of stuff into her bag, figuring anything would keep her occupied for the day.”

 

She nodded, “Just for a little while,” she explained. “Because I can’t stay in one position since I took the epidural. And I don’t want her falling out of the bed and climbing around.”

 

“I understand,” Leonard nodded. “Come on, Charlie. Let’s go see about those cookies and Joanna will read you a story from her book.”

 

“Mama!!!” Charlie began to whine, as Leonard picked her up. “NO!”

 

Melanie wanted to cry, as Charlotte began to screech. “It’s only for a little while,” she said to her, as Chris came around to give her a kiss.

 

“Hey, hey,” he whispered to her, trying to soothe her down. “Mommy needs to rest for a while and you need to be a good girl for her. Uncle Bones and Uncle Jim are going to play with you and make sure you eat your lunch.”

 

Charlotte began to cry, “Pa Pa!” she reached out for him, as Leonard moved to the door. “Pa Pa! Mama!”

 

“Just come get me if you want her back in,” Leonard said, as he rubbed the toddlers back. “Get some rest.”

 

As soon as they were out of the room, Charlotte’s cries trailing down the hall, Chris shut the door and made his way back over to the bed.

 

“I feel so awful,” Melanie shook her head, as tears filled her eyes. “I do want her to be in here, but I don’t want to upset her by screaming and jerking around in bed. She doesn’t need to see me like that.”

 

He sat down on the bed, “It’s okay, Mel. She’ll calm down as soon as they feed her and occupy her with a book or toy.”

 

She nodded as the exhaustion began to kick in, despite being halfway through labor and hours from delivering.

 

“Let’s get you on your side,” Chris said, moving the blankets down to the foot of the bed. “Do you feel any numbness?”

 

“No,” she shook her head, rolling onto her right side. “I’m cold though.”

 

Once she was settled, Chris pulled the blankets up to her chin and sat back down next to her. “What else?”

 

“I’m getting tired,” Melanie yawned. “And I think it’s starting to wear off now, because there’s pain on my left side.”

 

He nodded, “Sometimes those things don’t last, Mel. They gave you a high dose and the doctor even said that if it should wear off, that you would have to ride it out.”

She whimpered, “I know it hurts,” he said, rubbing her back gently, avoiding the catheter in her back. “But Doctor Lyndon strongly believes that you’ll be all done before the evening rush is over.”

 

“I hope so,” she mumbled, pulling the blanket closer. “Can you do me a favor?”

 

Chris nodded, “Anything.”

 

“Could you read me some of Charlie’s story?” she blushed slightly. “Just to keep my mind off of the pain?”

 

He chuckled and nodded, taking the book off the table. “I even have the IPad, so when I finish reading you this, I’ll read you another.”

 

Melanie managed a small smile, “That sounds good,” she nodded, closing her eyes. “Hmm.”

 

Opening the book, _Charlotte’s Web,_ Chris decided to start from the beginning instead of the third chapter that he and Charlotte had left off on the other night. As he began to read, Melanie managed to relax, despite the discomfort that ripped across her belly; the twins kicked furiously, growing more and more impatient as time went on. 


	42. Chapter 42

As the day wore on and Melanie progressed further and further, the rest of their family sat outside in the waiting room. Charlie, having consumed enough juice and goldfish to feed an army, passed out sometime between two and three, as David cradled her in his arms.

 

“I’m nervous for them, “Jim muttered, as he chewed on his nails. “I mean, two babies? Out of the vagina? How the hell is she going to even walk out of here, let alone sit down?”

 

Leonard sighed as he flipped through a magazine, “Women do this everyday, Jim,” he said. “Mellie will be fine and I’m sure the doctor will patch her up nicely.”

 

“Do you think the girls will be fine?” Jim asked.

 

“The last time I went in there, the doctor was doing another scan and they were perfectly fine,” Leonard nodded. “If they weren’t, Mel would’ve been rushed into the OR by now.”

 

Jim sighed and Leonard turned to look at him, “Jim,” he took his hand into his. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

 

The younger man nodded and tried to focus his attention on Jo, who sat in the chair next to him, doing homework. As they worked on her math workbook, Jim heard a muffled screech and froze.

 

“Did you hear that?” he asked quietly, straining his ears.

 

“Here what?” Leonard sighed.

 

Jim sat up, “It sounded like someone was screaming,” he said, as Leonard snorted.

 

“Kid, we’re on the maternity floor,” he stated. “Of course there’s screaming here.”

 

There was a moment of silence before it happened again, only this time it was loud and clear.

 

“GODDAMMIT! I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILLL YOU, CHRISTOPHER!!”

 

David jumped, startled, as he was pulled out of his nap. Hikaru and Pavel looked up from their textbooks, jaws dropped and eyes wide.

 

“That doesn’t sound good,” Jim whispered, as Leonard shook his head. “How much do you wanna bet that she takes a scapel and stabs him?”

 

“Fifty bucks,” Hikaru shrugged.

 

“You goddamn infants and the gamblin’!” Leonard snapped, as Joanna giggled.

 

There was a loud crash and a few nurses scrambled from behind the desk, “Holy shit,” Pavel snorted, as the commotion got worse.

 

A blood-curdling scream woke Charlotte up, bringing her to tears as David moved to stand up. “I’m going to take this one for a walk,” he nodded, picking up the blanket that he packed earlier that morning. “Call me when Chris comes out.”

 

“If he comes out alive is the big question,” Pavel giggled.

 

……….

 

 

“Okay, okay,” Doctor Lyndon said, as she sat at the end of the bed. “I need you to try and calm down before the babies go into distress.”

 

It was five-thirty and Melanie Pike was SO done. So, so, so done with being pregnant and being in labor. After the urge to push hit her, Melanie flailed about in bed and told Chris to get “a goddamn nurse and get that fucking doctor NOW!” as she tried to control herself. Five minutes later, as the clock hit five, it was confirmed that at ten centimeters, it was definitely time to push.

 

“Mel, you need to breathe,” Chris said, as he held her hand. “Stop screaming.”

 

She turned her head to look at him, “You try pushing out TWO babies and try not to scream!” she snarled. “I HATE YOU!”

 

The nurse across from her shook her head at him, “It’s okay,” she said, as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. “They say it all the time and it doesn’t mean anything.”

  
“NO, NO!” Melanie yelled. “I hate him! He did this to me! If he only wore a fucking con-AHHH!”

 

Bearing down, Melanie pushed as another contraction pumped through her body, making her toes curl and her back arch up off the bed.

 

“That’s good, Mel!” Doctor Lyndon said, as she worked. “I can feel the head coming down, which is very good.”

 

Another three contractions came and went before the announcement that the head was crowning came out. “Okay,” Doctor Lyndon nodded, looking up at Melanie. “On the next contraction, I need you to push as hard as you can. Once the head is out, it’ll be smooth sailing.”

 

Melanie groaned, pressing her feet into the stirrups as her body ached with pain. The nurses moved about, prepping for the first delivery; getting the paperwork ready to record the time of birth, the weight and the tiny cot that would be sent down to the nursery.

 

“You’re doing so good,” Chris said, coming back up to her after seeing her progress. “Are you ready?”

 

She shook her head, “No,” she whimpered. “I don’t want to do anymore.”

 

“You have to, Mel,” Chris said, as he smoothed her hair back. “You can’t give up now because we’ve got another one that needs to come out after this. I need you to focus and push through it.”

 

Melanie sobbed, “I’m still going to kill you when this is over.”

 

Doctor Lyndon chuckled as she looked at the monitor, “Here comes another one,” she announced, as Melanie began to push, bearing down with all her might. “Head is out!”

 

The nurse that stood near the tray grabbed the suction tube and handed it to the doctor, who quickly cleared out the newborn’s nose and mouth. Melanie let out a low groan and pushed again.

 

“Here’s the shoulders,” Doctor Lyndon announced, as Melanie pushed a little harder. “And here’s the first one!”

 

A shrill cry filled the room, as the baby was held up for Chris and Melanie to see. The next few minutes went in a blur for Melanie as Chris went to cut the cord, before the nurse whisked their daughter off to get weighed and cleaned off.

 

“She’s perfect,” Chris said, coming back to her side, leaning down to kiss her. “She’s got a little patch of blonde hair!”

 

Melanie managed a tired smiled as nurses moved about, “Okay, we’ve gotta get moving,” Doctor Lyndon said suddenly. “Her sister seems a bit jealous and impatient to wait!”

  
Five minutes later, baby number two came out screaming like her sister, wiggling as the nurse took her to be looked over.

 

“It’s done?” Melanie gasped, as she sagged down on the pillows.

 

“You just have the placentas to deliver, but you’re done!” Doctor Lyndon said, as she got ready for the next phase of delivery. “Congrats Mommy and Daddy! You did good!”

 

Chris stood by and watched as the nurses cleaned off his baby girls, noting the stats down on their charts.

 

“Baby one is five pounds eight ounces,” the nurse noted. “And her little sister is five pounds seven ounces! Born at five fifteen and five twenty on January twenty-fourth.”

 

“Oh Mel,” Chris gasped, as the twins cried. “They’re absolutely perfect!”

 

He managed to get a few pictures with his phone, before moving back to Melanie’s bedside, taking her hand into his. 

“Are they both blonde?” she asked, as her eyes began to close.

 

“Both blonde and beautiful like their Mommy,” he nodded, leaning down to kiss her. “You were amazing, Mellie.”

 

She nodded, “Still going to beat you later,” she mumbled, making him snort. “I’m cold.”

 

Chris nodded, “I know,” he said. “As soon as they clean you up and move you to another bed, you can relax.”

 

“Can you tell the others?” she asked. “Let them know that they’re here?”

 

“I’ll go tell them,” he nodded. “I love you.”

 

Melanie gave him another tired smiled, “I love you, too,” she mumbled.

 

………..

 

“Oh god, it got really quiet!” Jim shook his head. “ Either she killed him or they knocked her out!”

 

“Dammit Jim!” Leonard hissed, as he pulled the phone away from his ear. “Would you shut up?”

 

It was a little after five-thirty as the small group called up the others to let them know that Melanie was possibly giving birth at that moment. Scotty and Gaila were on their way, while Leonard and Nyota spoke on the phone.

 

“It got quiet, so maybe she’s delivered and they’re cleaning up,” Leonard said, as he chatted to Nyota. “Oh wait.. Chris is coming out now.”

 

“Chris!”

 

The older man smiled at his family as he made his way over to them, “What happened?” Jim asked. “Is Mel okay?”

 

He nodded, “She’s getting cleaned up,” he said. “She wanted me to come out here and let you know that the girls are here and they’re perfect.”

 

Joanna squealed, while Jim quickly got up and hugged him.

 

“They’re here, Ny!” Leonard shouted into the phone. “You and Spock better get down here soon!”

 

He then hung up and jumped out of the chair, pulling his brother-in-law into a hug. “I have pictures!” Chris said, as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

 

As he handed the phone to Jim, Chris turned and frowned. “Where’s David and Charlie?” he asked.

 

“When Mel started screaming, which we all heard, Charlie started crying,” Hikaru said. “So he took her for a walk to calm her down.”

 

Ten minutes of passing the phone around, Chris hesitated to leave, wanting to tell Charlotte that her sisters were finally here and that David was a the proud Grandpa of two baby girls.

 

“Maybe Mommy is all done now,” he heard in the hall. “Boy Charlie, all those nurses downstairs didn’t want you to leave.”

 

As David McCoy came into the waitingroom, he was surprised to see his son-in-law standing there in surgical scrubs. 

“What are you doin’ out here?” he asked, as they walked over. “Shouldn’t you be in there with Mellie?”

  
“She sent me out here to let everyone know that the babies are here,” Chris smiled, as David carefully handed Charlotte over to him. “You hear that, Charlie girl? You’re a big sister!”

 

“Pa Pa,” she whined, burying her face into his shoulder.

 

Chuckling, Chris pulled her blanket up higher and kissed the top of her head, “Mommy’s getting cleaned up right now, but I think she’ll be very happy to see you!”

 

Leonard nodded, “You go on back and we’ll let the others know the good news,” he smiled, before rubbing Charlotte’s back. “You better be nice to those girls, Charlie. No sassin’.”

Taking the Nemo toy from her bag, David handed it over to Chris and nodded. “As soon as she’s ready to see visitors, you let us know.”

 

“I will,” Chris promised. “Hopefully by then we’ll have names for them.”

 

“Give Mommy a kiss from all of us, “Pavel smiled, as he sat down again. “Karu, we need to get flowers and balloons! This is a serious operation!”

 

Chris snorted as the duo rushed towards the elevators, “I’ll be back soon,” he said to the others, turning to make his way back down the hall. “Ready Charlie?”

 

The toddler babbled, “Mama?”

 

“We’re going to see Mama,” he nodded. “Mama and your baby sisters.”

 

 


	43. Chapter 43

Two hours after delivery, Melanie and Chris finally got to hold their twin girls for the first time. Charlotte, ever curious and fussy from being away from her parents for so long, Sat on the hospital bed, as Melanie held the older of the two twins.

 

“This is your baby sister,” she said quietly, as Charlotte held onto her Nemo doll. “See? Look how little she is.”

  
“Mama, beebee?” Charlotte asked, as Chris chuckled.

 

“That’s a baby,” he nodded, coming closer to show her the other twin. “This is your sister too.”

 

Charlotte turned back to her Nemo doll, uninterested in the new development.

 

“She’ll understand eventually,” Melanie nodded, as she shifted the baby in her arms. “So, what are we going to name them?”

 

Chris sat down on the hospital bed, carefully pulling himself up to sit next to her, while holding onto the newborn. “Well,” he sighed, looking down at the sleeping newborn in his arms. “We need two names that’ll mess well together.”

 

Melanie nodded, “We do,” she bit her lip. “I do like the name Olivia.”

 

“Olivia,” Chris repeated, nodding. “I like that. Olivia what?”

 

“Hmmm,” Melanie sighed, as she gently ran her finger down the baby’s cheek. “Olivia Jane.”

 

He smiled, “One down, one to go,” he said, turning his attention to the baby in his arms. “What should we name you?” he asked, as the baby shifted in the cocoon of her pink blanket. “Sophia.”

 

“Is that because you _loveeeee_ Sophia Loren?” Melanie snickered, as her husband blushed. “I draw the line at her middle name being Loren.

 

“Sophia…Sophia….,” he sighed, thinking of a middle name that would flow perfectly. “Sophia Nicole?”

 

Melanie frowned and shook her head, “Sophia…. Grace?” she offered with a shrug.

 

Chris nodded, “Sophia Grace,” he said. “Olivia Jane and Sophia Grace.”

 

He then turned to her and smiled, “Beautiful names for beautiful girls,” he said, as Melanie nodded. “I guess we better let the nurse know and start letting our visitors in. We all know how Jim gets when he’s kept waiting.”

 

“And I want to get some sleep,” Melanie yawned, as Charlotte tried to crawl between them.

 

Chris stood up and set Sophia down in the bassinette, “I’ll send a nurse in to help you and see about getting visitors in.”

 

She nodded, “Charlie? Wanna go with Daddy?” she asked, as Charlotte took the vacated spot Chris left behind.

 

“No!” she pouted, lying down next to her. “Mama, mine!”

 

Chris snickered, “Let her stay with you,” he said, leaning over the toddler to kiss her. “I’ll be back in a few.”

 

………….

 

“My god, they are so little!” Jim gasped, as he held Olivia in his arms. “And look how blonde this one is! She’s platinum!”

 

Leonard snorted from his spot on the chair, cradling Sophia in his arms. “Hi Sophie,” he cooed, as she opened her eyes. “I’m your Uncle Lenny!

 

Melanie laid in her bed, watching through sleepy eyes, as her brother and Jim sat with the babies. Slowly but surely, the room began to fill with balloons, flowers and cutesy stuffed animals, as the guests came and went. Having already discussed the topic of who would be godmother and godfather to the twins, Melanie and Chris announced to the chosen ones as they came in to see the twins. It was easy when Charlotte was born, since it was an obvious choice that Leonard would be her godfather. And Gaila, whom Melanie had known for years and claimed the title long before she’d met and married Chris, took her role seriously.

 

Scotty and Mary were chosen as godparents to Sophia, to which Scotty cried a little when they told him.

 

“ _Yeh really want me to be godpop?”_ he asked, while holding Sophia. “ _Gaila! Can yeh believe it? Oh lil lass, we’re going to have so much fun!”_

 

“So,” Chris drawled slowly, glancing over at Melanie. “Mel and I decided on Olivia’s godparents a few months ago.”

 

Leonard nodded, “Who’d ya pick?” he asked.

 

“Nyota, who was absolutely thrilled,” Chris snorted. “Said something about recruiting her as a future pastry chef in the future.”

 

“And godfather?” Jim asked, as he rocked Olivia back and forth in his arms.

 

Melanie smiled, “You.”

 

Jim looked up quickly, his eyes wide with shock. “W-what?”

 

“We would like you, James Tiberius Kirk, to be Olivia Jane Pike’s godfather,” Melanie smiled. “Unless you want us to ask Spock.”

 

The blonde shook his head furiously, “No!” he yelped, before wincing. “Sorry Livvie.”

 

Chris chuckled as Jim fiddled with the blanket, “Are you sure you want me to take that role?” he asked, looking up at them shyly. “What about Hikaru? Or Pavel?”

 

“We love Hkaru and Pavel,” Melanie nodded. “But we see you more and you’re our brother-in-law.”

 

“When we talked about it, we knew automatically that we wanted you to be godfather to one of the girls,” Chris said. “And we figured that since you and Nyota have been best friends for years, it would only be right to have you two do it together.”

 

Jim, who was on the verge of tears, nodded. “I-I’ve never been a godfather before.”

 

“You’ll be great,” Melanie nodded, smiling. ‘If we didn’t believe it, we wouldn’t ask you.”

 

Leonard smiled as his husband looked down at Olivia, “How do you feel about that?” Jim asked her, as she waved her fist at him, cooing and gurgling. “Yeah? You wanna learn how to drive your parents crazy? I think I can do that.”

 

“See?” Chris snickered. “You’re learning fast there, Jim.”

 

The young man looked up at them and smiled, “Thank you,” he nodded. “Thank you so much.”

 

“You’re welcome, Jim,” Melanie sighed, as she shifted slowly under the blanket. “I think I need another ice pack.”

 

Leonard frowned, “Why?” he asked, as she winced in pain. “Aw man. How bad?”

 

“Third degree tear,” Chris shook his head, as he hit the page button near the bed.

 

“Holy hell!” Leonard shook his head, as a nurse came in quickly.

 

Jim frowned, “What’s that mean?” he asked, as Chris requested another ice pack for Melanie.

 

Melanie sighed, “It means that I’ve been ripped apart so bad down there,” she groaned lightly. “Doctor Lyndon was down there for an hour and a half, sewing me back together.”

 

“At least you didn’t get a fourth degree tear,” Leonard shuddered. “Joss had that and it took almost half the year to recover. Remember those infections she kept getting?”

 

“Oh god,” Melanie shook her head. “Pray that it doesn’t happen to me.”

 

The nurse came in with a new ice pack, “Do you want me to do it?” she asked, moving around the bed.

 

Melanie nodded and waved her hand, “It’s fine,” she said, as the nurse glanced at Leonard and Jim. “Neither of them are vagina fans and I’m related to him.”

 

“Oh Mel,” Chris snorted, as the nurse frowned.

 

“Go on,” Melanie nodded. “Ice me please!”

 

The nurse quickly pulled the blankets back and changed the icepack, before tucking her back in. “Let me know when you’re ready to change the pad,” she said, tossing the melted icepack into the waste bin.

 

Once she left, Melanie settled back against the pillows and yawned. “I’ll tell ya,” she shook her head. “I could sleep for _days.”_

“Which is what you’re going to do,” Chris said, as he sat down on the bed. “You need lots of rest, so your recovery goes smoothly.”

 

“You just want her in tip-top shape for the six-week checkup,” Jim teased.

 

Melanie shook her head; “Nothing is going in there until I can take a shit without taking stool softeners or whatever else that nurse said.”

 

Chris nodded, though he looked upset about the idea. “We’ll be too tired to do any of that,” he said. “With two newborns and making sure Charlie doesn’t break her neck going down the stairs?”

 

“God bless ya,” Leonard shook his head. “We should probably get going, Jim. It’s almost eleven and we need to get up early to pick Jo up from Scotty and Gaila’s.”  

 

“Aw, I don’t want to leave,” Jim pouted, before nodding. “But I don’t want that nurse to come in and kick us out.”

 

They both stood, setting the twins into the bassinette, before grabbing their coats.

“Do you want us to pick Charlie up tomorrow morning?” Leonard asked, as Jim kissed Melanie goodbye. “I know Pop has her at your house tonight.”

 

“I think Daddy would be happy to be one of the first visitors tomorrow,” Melanie nodded. “And Jo too, since she didn’t get much time with the girls.”

 

Jim nodded, “Do you guys need anything from home? Clothes? Toiletries?”

 

Melanie shrugged, “I think we’re okay,” she said. “But I’ll check the bag tomorrow morning and if I’m missing anything, I’ll call you. You have our keys right?”

 

“Got ‘em,” Leonard nodded. “You get some rest and make sure you eat the tray they bring you. It may not be top quality food that you’re used to, but you need to eat it.”

 

“Save me the jello,” Jim whispered, earning an elbow to the ribs. “Ouch!”

 

Chris snorted as Leonard leaned down to kiss his sister on the forehead, “I mean it, Mellie,” he warned. “Every last bite.”

 

She scowled, “Yes Lenny,” she mumbled, as he pulled the blanket up to her chin. “Could you stop at Starbucks tomorrow and get a blueberry scone?”

 

“Are you serious?” Leonard asked, as Jim and Chris snorted.

 

“I just pushed out two babies and nearly lost my asshole in the process,” she pouted. ‘I think I deserve a blueberry scone.”

 

Leonard rolled his eyes, grumbling. “Fine, I’ll get you the damn scone,” he shook his head.

 

Once they left, promising to call in the morning, Chris closed the door and made his way back over to the bed. “Warm enough?” he asked, as Melanie shifted under the blanket. “I could get the nurse to bring another blanket in.”

 

“It’s the ice pack,” she mumbled. “I want drugs now.”

 

“I don’t think they’ll give you that, Mel,” Chris shook his head. “They want you to breastfeed tomorrow.”

 

She scowled, “There has to be some kind of numbing gel they can slather on down there,” she huffed. “I don’t want to sleep with this ice pack.”

 

Chris nodded, “I think you should have the nurse come in and help you to the bathroom,” he said, looking down at his watch. “That way you can change the pad and then get ready for bed.”

 

“This isn’t as fun as it was when Charlie was born,” Melanie pouted.

 

“That’s because you had one baby,” he reminded her. “I’ll go get the nurse again and let her get you situated. Make sure you ask her about taking something for the pain, that way you can sleep.”

 

She nodded, “Hurry though,” she winced. “Before I need to take another shower again.”

 

Chris nodded and pulled open the door, “Just relax for now,” he said to her, as he stepped out into the hall.

 

He heard a her grunt in reply as he closed the door, turning to make his way down to the nurses station. The shrill cries of babies from various rooms and the intercom going on and off, slowly brought on a headache for him.

 

“Hi,” he smiled at the nurse who sat behind the counter, who brought in the ice pack.

 

“Oh hey!” she smiled. “Is she ready to use the bathroom?”

 

Chris nodded, “And she’s begging for drugs,” he chuckled, as the young woman came out from behind the desk. “Is there anything she can take to help her sleep?”

 

The nurse picked up her chart from the file holder and flipped through the notes that Doctor Lyndon left when it came to Melanie’s recovery process. “Third-degree tear,” she read, as they moved down the hallway. “Doctor Lyndon suggested Ibuprofen and Epi foam, which works wonders.”

 

“I know they want her to attempt breastfeeding tomorrow, but she doesn’t want to do it this time around,” he shrugged, as the nurse pushed open the door to the room.

 

“If the pain is really unbearable, then I would consult with Doctor Lyndon,” the nurse said, as Melanie turned to look at them. “How ya feeling?”

 

Melanie scowled, “Like my parts exploded,” she mumbled.

 

The nurse nodded, “Well, I’m going to help you with that pain,” she said, pulling the blankets back. “Let’s get you cleaned up in the bathroom and then I’ll check to see how the stiches are holding in.”

 

“Are you going to drug me too?” Melanie asked, as she slowly sat up, moving her legs one at a time over the side of the mattress. “I want the good stuff.”

 

Chris snorted, moving forward to help Melanie off the bed. “FUCK!” she screeched.

 

“Shhhh,” the nurse gripped her hand, while rubbing her shoulder. “I know it hurts.”

Melanie whimpered as she and the nurse hobbled towards the bathroom, while Chris moved back over to the twins. As Melanie whimpered and groaned from behind the bathroom door, Chris quietly spoke to Olivia and Sophia.

 

“You guys really did a number on Mommy,” he shook his head, as they kicked their feet at him. “I can just see it now. You two are going to drive her crazy, huh?”

 

Olivia blew a spit bubble while Sophia’s kicked her feet at him, “We’re gonna have to keep a close eye on you two,” he shook his head, wiping the drool from Olivia’s mouth. “But it’ll sure be a lot of fun.” 


	44. Chapter 44

After two days in the hospital, Melanie, Olivia and Sophia were discharged with a clean bill of health. Their first night in the house with the twins was one of chaos, as they struggled to feed both twins in the middle of the night, while Charlie woke up crying as well. By the end of the week, it only got worse.

 

“How the hell are we going to do this?” Melanie asked, as she fed Olivia a warm bottle of formula. “Charlie wet her bed twice tonight, Chris! She’s been doing this since the first night we brought Sophie and Livvie home!”

 

“She’s not used to the extra noise, Mel,” Chris shook his head, as he paced back and forth with Sophia. “Shhhh, come on Soph. You know you want to go to sleep!”

 

It took an hour to get the twins to bed, tucking them both into their cribs and turning on the mobiles that hung above them. They tip-toed out slowly and quietly, closing the door behind them.

 

“I’ll go check on Charlie,” Chris yawned. “You get back to bed and try to get some sleep, Mel. I don’t want you jumping out of bed too much, especially with your stiches.”

 

“If she wet the bed again, there’s a clean set of sheets on the top shelf of her closet,” she nodded. “Tomorrow the other two sets have to go into the wash.”

 

Chris nodded and kissed her forehead; “Go on,” he nodded, turning towards Charlie’s room. “I’ll be there in a little bit.”

 

Watching as Melanie slowly made her way back into the bedroom, Chris quietly pushed the door open to Charlotte’s room, easing his way in. The nightlight was on, casting a deep glow into the room, shining on the empty bed.

 

“Charlie?” he whispered, pushing the door open all the way, allowing the hall light to shine in.

 

“Pa Pam” she babbled, sitting in the middle of her bedroom, surrounded by her Nemo doll and Minnie Mouse. “Pa Pa.”

 

Chris turned the lamp on and made his way towards her, easing himself down next to her on the floor. “What are you doing out of bed?” he asked, as she played. “It’s way past your bedtime.”

 

Charlotte reached up towards him, making grabby hands. Pulling her onto his lap, Chris gave her a big kiss on the cheek and hugged her. “I know it’s been tough trying to sleep,” he said softly, as she tugged at his shirt. “But you gotta try, Charlie.”

 

“Nooooo!” she whined, burying her face into his shirt. “Play!”

 

“How about I read you a story?” he offered, rubbing her back gently. “I’ll tuck you into bed and read you a story, that way you can sleep and be ready to play with Uncle Bones and Uncle Jim tomorrow.”

 

Tossing Nemo and Minnie onto the bed, Chris pulled himself up off the floor while holding Charlie and carried her over to the bed. Setting her down, Chris grabbed a book off the table and laid out next to her in the tiny bed.

 

“How about we continue with _Charlotte’s Web?”_ he asked, as Charlotte wiggled around next to him. “We got two more chapters to go before we finish.”

 

He quickly tucked her in, handing over Nemo to cuddle with, before picking up where he left off before the twins arrived. The next morning, as Melanie got up to check on the girls, she wasn’t surprised at all to find Chris out cold in the tiny bed; Charlotte had inched her way onto his chest, her thumb in her mouth and Nemo on the pillow next to Chris’s head.

 

…………

 

Two weeks later, Melanie found herself back in the hospital. Only this time, it was to meet her godson, Montgomery William Scott, born in the early morning hours of February sixth. Just like his parents, the beautiful and healthy baby boy inherited their fair skin and Gaila’s deep red hair.

 

“My goodness, you’re going to be a beautiful little boy,” Melanie cooed, as she kissed his nose.

 

Gaila smiled from her spot in bed, “Your girls are going to be all over him,” she teased. “Better start planning a wedding, because he’s going to win one of their hearts.”

Melanie giggled, “Chris would love that,” she teased. “So, how do you feel?”

 

“A little tired and sore, but other than that,” she shrugged. “I feel great.”

 

“With no tearing you would feel great,” Melanie scowled. “And his head is HUGE!”

 

The redhead snorted, “Sucks to have a tiny vagina,” she yawned. “Hmm, I can’t wait to go home and sleep in my own bed. These beds are awful!”

 

Melanie nodded in agreement, “You’d think with how much they charge our insurance, they’d at least give us nice hospital beds to sit in.”

 

There was a knock on the door, before it opened, as Scotty and Chris came in. “Hey!” Chris smiled, holding Charlie’s hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. “I hear a congratulations are in order?”

 

Gaila beamed, “I believe so,” she nodded, as Charlotte waved a balloon around in her hand. “Miss Charlie! Come give Giggy a kiss!”

 

As Scotty brought Charlotte over to the bed, Chris set the flowers down next to the growing pile on the table and made his way over to Melanie.

 

“This,” Melanie smiled up at him, “Is Montgomery William Scott.”

 

“He’s adorable,” Chris gasped, as the boy yawned widely at them. “You tired little man? It’s been a rough day for you, huh?”

 

Little Monty gurgled at him, waving his fist up and down in the air. “You are so cute!” Melanie cooed. “I can’t wait to see what your Mommy dresses you in, Monty! You’re going to be the cutest little boy in the neighborhood!”

 

Chris snorted, “At this rate, all of these kids are going to look like a J. Crew advertisement,” he shook his head. “Nyota bought him a pair of UGG boots for almost four-hundred dollars.”

 

“It’ll keep his little toes warm!” Melanie giggled.

 

“Giggy!” Charlotte squealed, as Gaila tickled her lightly. “Giggy, hug!”

 

Gaila smiled, “You want a hug?” she asked, as Charlotte babbled. “You’re learning so many words, cookie!”

  
Melanie smiled as Charlotte gave her a hug, before turning her attention back to Chris and the baby in her arms. “Who’s watching Sophie and Liv?” she asked.

 

“Mom and Dad are at the house with them,” he nodded. “Mom was upstairs changing them, while Dad started on dinner for later. I hope you’re in the mood for chicken, because that’s what he put in the oven.”

 

“Chicken is fine,” she nodded. “I need to stop at the store on the way home and get some more formula and food for Charlie. They’re saying it’s supposed to snow this weekend.”

 

He nodded, “We should probably go soon,” he said. “Let these two have some quiet time before they’re relased into the wild.”

 

“Oi! Ah heard that!” Scotty cried. “We’re not a bunch of animals!”

 

Chris chuckled, “Sure, sure,” he nodded. “Though you do remind me of a basset hound sometimes.”

 

Scotty shook his head, “Yer awful,” he said, as Monty began to fuss.

 

“And he’s hungry,” Melanie nodded, as Scotty made his way over to them. “Here you go! Daddy’s going to take you now, little munchkin!”

 

“When are you guys going home?” Chris asked, as he carried his son over to Gaila. “I hope they let you guys out in time to get settled before this snow storm that’s supposed to hit.”

 

Gaila took the baby from Scotty, “Tomorrow morning,” she nodded, as Scotty helped her with her gown, pulling a tiny throw blanket over to cover her and the baby. “Hikaru and Pavel already picked up a bunch of stuff for us this morning, so I hope it’ll last us til Monday.”

 

They chatted for a few more minutes, until Gaila started to nod off as Monty ate. Grabbing her coat, Melanie came over to the bed and picked up Charlotte.

 

“We’re going to get going,” she said, as Gaila opened her eyes. “You need to get some rest and we need to pick up a few things at the store and get home to the girls.”

 

“Hmm.,” Gaila smiled. “Call you later?”

 

Melanie nodded, “We’ll be home,” she said. “And we’ll come by once you guys get settled at home with Monty and if you need anything, let me know.”

 

Gaila nodded and yawned, “Love you, Mellie.”

 

“I love you too, Giggy,” she snickered, leaning over to kiss her forehead, before pulling the blanket up to look at the baby. “And I love you too, Monty. You be good for your parents and I’ll see you soon!”

 

Saying their goodbyes, the Pikes made their way down to the main level of the hospital and out to the parking lot. “How did you get here?” Chris asked, as he carried Charlotte in his arms. “I was half asleep when you started yelling about Gaila and having a baby.”

 

“Lenny dropped me off on the way to work,” she yawned. “He’s coming by later with Jim and Joanna.”

 

Unlocking the car, Chris settled Charlotte into her car seat, before climbing in behind the wheel. “He’s a beautiful boy,” he said, as the car started up. “He looks like a little doll.”

 

“I can’t believe how red his hair is,” Melanie shook her head, as they started out of the parking lot. “Scotty is going to be crazy with the sunscreen in the summer, making sure he’s covered from head to toe.”

 

“Giggy?” Charlotte peeped from her seat.

 

“Giggy had a baby, Charlie,” Chris said, as he drove. “You’ll see her soon!”

 

Charlotte kicked her feet up and down, “Giggy, Giggy!” she squeaked. “Giggy, beebee?”

 

Melanie smiled, “That’s right, Charlie,” she said, turning in her seat to look at her. “She had a baby boy!”

 

“Beebee! Beebee!”

 

They both chuckled, as Charlotte continued to babble to herself. “How are you feeling today?” he asked.

 

She shrugged, “Still very sore,” she grimaced, shifting gently in the seat. “But I think those baths are helping a bit. That stuff Nyota told me about, the bath fizz junk? It’s helped with the swelling.”

 

“That’s good!” Chis nodded, as he turned into the supermarket’s parking lot. “Hopefully by the time you go in for your checkup, it’ll be much better than it is now. I hate seeing you in so much pain after being on your feet all day.”

 

“I just can’t wait to go to the bathroom like a normal person,” she sighed. “Sex on the other hand? I hope you’re not expecting a little somethin’ somethin’ after six weeks, Chris.”

 

He parked the car as close to the store as he could and shook his head, “All I want is for you to heal up and feel better,” he insisted. “All that other stuff can wait, Mel. I’ll survive.”

 

Melanie snorted as they got out of the car, “You say that now,” she teased. “Maybe I’ll treat you with a little something.”

 

“Not in front of the baby,” he warned, unbuckling Charlotte from her car seat. “Are you ready to get some food?”

 

……….

 

As the weekend rolled in, along with a blizzard, the entire weekend consisted of broken sleep, catching up on laundry and cleaning, and trying to catch up with Anne and Joshua before their still scheduled flight for Thursday. Charlie had her moments of temper tantrums when it came time to be put down for a nap, throwing her toys and screeching as Chris carried her into the guestroom downstairs; no one wanted to risk waking the twins during their afternoon nap. Dinner and bath time was a circus, as Melanie and Chris bathed the twins in their bathroom, while Anne helped Charlie in the one down the hall.

 

It was after reading a bedtime story, when Charlotte conked out halfway through, when Chris urged Melanie to take a bath and relax in the few precious moments she had to herself. The kitchen needed to be cleaned up after a messy dinner and his parents were in the middle of their bonding session with Olivia and Sophia; rocking them to sleep and what not. So, before Chris could change his mind, Melanie nearly bolted for their bedroom and took a much-needed bath.

 

“Are they sleeping?” Melanie asked, as she ran a towel through her hair.

 

Anne nodded, “Hopefully they’ll sleep throughout the night,” she said. “Otherwise, you and Chris are going to have a hard time when they’re older and upgraded into beds.”

Melanie chuckled, “God, I hope not,” she shook her head. “Thank you for taking them tonight. I know Charlie’s been a real devil this weekend, but I think she’s starting to notice that things are different around here. That it’s not just her anymore.”

 

“I understand, Mel,” Anne nodded. “Give her time and she’ll get used to it.”

 

They talked for a few more minutes near the stairs, before Chris quietly came up, ready for bed.

 

“Dad’s already in bed,” he chuckled. “Complaining about how cold it is, so I gave him an extra blanket.”

 

Anne rolled her eyes, “It’s winter,” she snorted. “What did he expect? Sunshine and beach weather?”

 

“The closet is loaded with extra blankets if you need them,” Melanie said. “So if you get cold in the middle of the night, they’re in there.”

 

“We’ll be fine,” Anne waved her hand. “Joshua’s at the stage in which he thinks that bitching will get him what he wants.”

 

Melanie gasped, “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, huh?” she asked, nudging Chris in the ribs. “Lovely.”

 

Anne snorted, as Chris scowled. “You two get to bed before they all wake up,” she warned, kissing them both on the cheek. “I’ll make pancakes tomorrow for breakfast.”

 

Saying their “goodnights”, Melanie and Chris quietly made their way down the hall to the bedroom, closing the door half way before taking their nightly rituals in getting ready for bed. Once they were both dressed in flannel pajamas, they climbed into bed and buried themselves under the blankets and quilts that were thrown on earlier that morning.

 

“God, I hope they all stay asleep until at least six-thirty,” Melanie groaned, stretching out under the mass cocoon that sat upon her.

 

“Don’t jinx it,” he yawned, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I’ve never been more tired before in my life, like I am right now.”

 

Melanie yawned, “How do you think I feel?” she snorted. “Sweetheart, I’m still bleeding and my ass is _killing_ me. The pain that is radiating right now between my legs, is starting to wear thin on my patience and sanity.”

 

“Did you take anything?”

 

“I’m waiting for it to kick in,” she groaned. “I would take something stronger, but I don’t want to be out cold if they wake up. Can’t keep having Mom and Dad rushing up the stairs to tend to them or you being half-awake.”

 

Chris grunted, “If you’re in pain, then take the stronger stuff,” he mumbled, pressing his face into the damp strands of her hair. “Tomorrow I’ll slip some of that Malibu in your tea. That alone will numb you from head to toe.”

 

She snorted, “Just want I need,” she shook her head. “CPS busting down the door because Daddy’s slippin’ booze into Mommy’s tea.”

 

“It would help a little,” he snorted. “Hmmm, warm enough?”

 

“We have six blankets on our bed,” Melanie snorted. “I think we’re on fire.”

 

Chris chuckled, “Okay, okay,” he sighed. “We really need to sleep, Mel. I feel like my head is floating away from my body.”

 

“So sleep,” she yawned, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Pancakes tomorrow.”

 

“Your absolute favorite.”

 

She groaned, “Yum, yum.”

 

A few minutes of silence fell between them, the wind howling outside their bedroom window as the snow continued to fall.

 

“Mel?”

 

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

 

Melanie inched closer, wrapping her ankle around his.

 

“I love you, too.”

 

 


	45. Chapter 45

**June**

As winter raged on, completely foregoing the spring weather, summer came in a rapid pace; some would say “overnight” as the temperatures soared at record-breaking heights. In those few months since the birth of Olivia and Sophia, life was almost like a dream and much more like a rollercoaster. Nearing five months old, the girls grew like weeds, consuming as much formula and rice cereal as possible, while hitting their milestones as time went on. Charlotte, who was still iffy on sharing Chris and Melanie’s attention, grew as well; Pa became Dada and semi-full sentences began to form as she spoke to her parents and extended family.

  
It was only a matter of time, as the Pikes settled into being parents to three young children and putting their home together, that the first big party would take place; Father’s Day. While Chris and Leonard were relaxed about the “hall-mark” day, as Leonard would call it, it was Jim and Scotty’s first. So when Melanie suggested a barbeque at their home to celebrate the big day, Chris agreed and they went all out. The boys insisted on splitting to costs of food and liquor, because while Chris, Leonard, Jim and Scotty were actually fathers, Pavel, Hikaru and Spock wanted to celebrate them as well.

 

“Do you think we have enough rolls for burgers?” Melanie asked, as she took the packages out of the cabinet.

 

Gaila, who was halfway in the refrigerator, shouted out “YES”, as Nyota finished cutting fruit up for salad.

 

“Everyone brought burger buns and hot dog rolls,” she smiled. “I think we’re covered.”

 

Little Montgomery, who sat in his bouncer chair began to wail, waking up from his nap. Gaila cursed and set the container of tomatoes and bags of produce onto the chair, before picking the infant up.

 

“I’ll be right back,” she told the girls, as she grabbed the diaper bag. “Yes Monty I know you’re hungry!”

 

Charlotte eyed the objects on the chair and picked up the container of tomatoes, quickly rushing outside with them, while Melanie and Nyota finished putting the side dishes together. Outside, Chris, Leonard and Jim were playing around with the grill and arguing over who would cook the food; a common occurrence whenever they were near a barbeque. On the lawn, in the tiny kiddy pool that Chris picked up from Target, Pavel and Hikaru played with Olivia and Sophia, who sat in the very shallow water.

 

“I just don’t understand why you have to cook it!” Jim whined, as Chris waited for the grill to warm up. “You always do it!”

 

“My house, my grill,” Chris shrugged, as Charlotte wandered over to him. “Last time you grilled, everything burned.”

 

Leonard snorted, “Jim, I’m sure we can find something for you to do,” he said, as Jim scowled.

 

Feeling a tug on his jeans, Chris turned and looked down to find Charlotte looking up at him, holding the container of tomatoes in her hand.

 

“What’d got there, Charlie?” he asked, squatting down next  to her.

 

“Dada, I want!” she said, holding the carton up to him. “I want.”

 

Leonard chuckled as Chris handed him the spatula, before scooping Charlotte up into his arms. “You want one?” he asked, brining her over to the table.

 

She nodded, “I want!”

 

“Okay, okay,” he laughed, opening the top. “Here we go.”

 

Handing her a little tomato, Chris watched as Charlotte bit into it, munching nosily and dripping juice down her chin. “Did you steal these from Mommy? “ he asked, as she ate.

 

“Giggy!”

 

“Oh, I see,” he nodded, wiping her face with his hand. “Aunt Giggy left them out and you took them.”

 

Melanie stepped outside with a tray, a packing of buns on top. “There you are!” she gasped, as Charlotte sat on top of the table. “And there are my tomatoes!”

 

She set the stuff down and watched as Charlotte ate another cherry tomato, giggling as she went.

 

“Let her eat a few,” Chris said, watching Charlotte. “Poor girl must be starving.”

 

“Give her one more, but I need that container,” she said, holding her hand out. “I don’t have anything else to put in the salad.”

 

Taking two more tomatoes out, Chris handed the carton back to Melanie. “You should stop worrying about eating all this rabbit food,” he said, as she shook the container lightly. “You and Gaila are going nuts with this dieting thing and I wish you would take it easy with it.”

 

“Forty pounds, Chris,” she reminded him. “Forty pounds.”

 

“You lost ten already,” he said, as she started back into the house. “Oh Charlie. Your Mommy is crazy.”

 

……….

 

Dinner went off without any issue, as everyone crowded around the table to eat and enjoy the day. The twins and Monty were given bottles before hand and settled into the playpen, while a baby monitor sat on the coffee table; it would be the only way anyone could eat that afternoon, giving the babies a chance to nap for a while. Afterwards, Charlotte went into the pool, while Joanna stood by to supervise her.

 

As Gaila, Melanie and Nyota went into the kitchen to start coffee and prepping for cake and other treats that Nyota and Gaila brought over, the boys sat around the table with their beers and chatted.

 

“So,” Leonard sighed, sinking down in the chair. “What did Mel do for Father’s day, Chris?”

 

He smiled, thinking back on the memory of that morning; Charlie jumping on the bed and tackling him, as Melanie stood in the doorway with a smirk.

 

“She and Charlie made breakfast and then we fed the girls,” he shrugged. “It was a nice and easy morning for us, which is very rare these days.”

 

“I guess the fun part comes later,” Jim snorted, as Charlie shrieked with happiness in the pool.

 

Chris rolled his eyes as the others snickered, “What did Jo do for you guys?” he asked.

 

“Well, Bones here made breakfast since Jo’s not allowed near the stove,” Jim rolled his eyes. “But she gave us this really cool picture frame that has a bunch of photos of the three of us from before we got together and from the wedding.”

 

“Awwwwwww,” Hikaru and Pavel said in unison.

 

Leonard snorted, “Shut it, you two!” he warned. “When you two become fathers, you’ll be gettin’ stuff like that from your spawns.”

 

“Joanna also wrote this really nice letter to me,” Jim added, smiling at the thought. “About how happy she is that Bones and I met and how happy I made him. She said she was proud to call me Dad, which really meant a lot for me to know.”

 

“Charlie! Wait!” Joanna shouted, as she and the toddler ran up to the patio. “Wait!”

 

A few seconds later, dripping wet in her bathing suit, Charlotte stood at Chris’ side, demanding for his attention. “Dada up now!” she demanded, grabby hands going wild.

 

Grabbing a towel off the empty chair next to him, Chris shook out onto his lap and quickly picked Charlotte up, wrapping the towel around her. “What did we say about running away from Jo?” he asked, as Charlotte giggled. “We said not to do it, because you could fall and get hurt. “

 

Joanna huffed as she moved over to Jim and Leonard, “Easy Jo,” Leonard said, as she climbed onto Jim’s lap. “She’s got a short attention span these days. “

 

“Dada, we swim now?” Charlie asked, looking up at him.

 

“Tomorrow,” he promised. “That pool is too little for me to swim in, Charlie girl.”

 

The back door slid open as Scotty stepped out, “Do any of yeh’s want coffee?” he asked. “Gaila is fussing over that bloody coffee machine and your wild collection of coffee’s and teas.”

 

“Jim and I will have black,” Leonard nodded. “Mellie’s got all those creamer things that she doesn’t even use. Jo jo, you want hot chocolate?” he asked, as she nodded.

 

Hikaru requested green tea, while Pavel said he would stick with his beer. “Where the hell did Spock go?” he asked. “He doesn’t make any noise when he leaves or enters a room.”

 

Jim snickered, “He’s probably helping Nyota, because he’s such a girl,” he shook his head. “I’m sure he’ll have green tea, since he considers coffee as “toxic waste”, which is such bull- I mean, garbage.”

 

“Mel knows which one I like,” Chris said, as Charlotte babbled on his lap. “Or I’ll just have what she’s having. Doesn’t matter to me.”

 

Scotty nodded, “Ah’m tryin’ to get them to hurry it up with the sweets,” he whispered. “But Mel and Nyota are taking forever to put them on the bloody trays!”

 

“Cake!” Charlotte squealed. “Dadda cake now! NOW!”

 

“See, even the wee one wants the cake!” Scotty shouted back into the kitchen. “Hurry up would ya!”

 

He then went back into the kitchen, placing in the orders in for coffee and tea. Chris stood up with Charlotte, wrapping the towel around her tightly, as the evening breeze began to roll through.

 

“Let’s get you dried off and in pajamas,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Then we can help Mommy, Aunt Giggy and Aunt Ny with the cookies.”

 

“Cake! Dada Cake! Now!” Charlotte demanded, as he carried her into the house. “MAMA! CAKE!”

 

The boys chuckled as Melanie scolded her for shouting, “You’ll get cake in a minute!” she said, as Chris snatched a cookie off the tray. “Christopher!

 

“OUCH! That was my hand!” Chris yelled, which made Jim laugh out loud. “Pipe down out there, James!”

 

“God, I don’t know how they do it,” Hikaru shook his head, as Charlie continued to beg for cake.

 

Pavel snorted, “Mel’s got Chris trained,” he shook his head. “That man drops everything when she calls, which is so amusing to see.”

 

“Just you wait,” Leonard nodded at them. “It’ll be your turn soon enough and then you’ll be crying to us for help when your wives start beating on you and demanding your presence.”

 

…………..

 

By the time everyone left, it was nearing eleven, and the kitchen was a mess. The sink was filled with cups and plates, while the countertops were littered with boxes from the bakery and trays. After Charlie went down for bed and a quick check on Sophia and Olivia, Chris and Melanie quickly cleaned up as much as they could, before calling it a night.

 

“That was a good day,” Melanie sighed, as she got dressed in the bathroom. “And we have a small batch of leftovers!”

 

Chris chuckled as he turned down the blankets on the bed, “That’s good for you,” he said. “But sad for me. What am I going to eat now?”

 

The door opened, “You’ll be fine without all that junk,” she said, leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom.

 

Turning to look at her, the words died in his throat, as he took in her appearance. “Well,” he finally said after a few minutes. “Don’t you look ravishing.”

 

Melanie smirked, “What? This old thing?” she asked, looking down at the lacy green nightie with a shrug.

 

“Green is a good color,” Chris said, making his way over to her. “Looks good on you.”

 

“The color may be a good look for me,’ she blushed. “But I had originally planned on something much more skimpier than this.”

 

He silenced her with a kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Doesn’t matter what you wear,” he said, pulling her towards the bed. “You’ll still look as ravishing to me as always.”

 

“Charmer,” she smirked against his lips, easing her way down on the bed. “It’s been a while since we could do this. Wanted to dress up for it.”

 

“A while is an understatement,” Chris snorted, as he nipped at her neck. “I think we need to be properly reintroduced to one another.”

 

Melanie snorted, “You wish,” she shook her head. “I think we only have enough time to get the basics done before of them wakes up.”

 

He groaned, “Don’t jinx it,” he begged, pushing her down lightly. “Please, _please,_ don’t jinx it.”

 

“So lets get this party started,” she giggled. “This is my present to you after all.”

 

“I thought those three, beautiful little girls were my present from you?” he frowned, as his hand inched up under the nightie. “It is Father’s Day after all.”

 

Melanie nudged him with her foot, “If you’re going to question it, then I’m going to bed,” she warned.

 

Chris shook his head, “I’ll stop, I’ll stop,” he promised.

 

“Good,” she whispered. “Come here.”

 

Moving further up the bed, Chris settled both hands on either side of her head and looked down at her. “Hmm,” he sighed, as she looked at him. “I think this is a perfect ending to a perfect day.”

 

“So sentimental,” she sighed, pulling him down by the front of his shirt. “Keep it up and you’ll put me to sleep by your talking.”

 

“You can be so mean sometimes,” he teased. “Your birthday is coming up and you better be nice to me, or I’ll take your present back.”

 

Melanie snickered, reaching over to open the bedside table’s drawer, “Yeah right,” she muttered, digging around. “After the birthday present I gave you?”

 

Tossing a condom at him, Melanie settled back against the pillows and grinned at him. “Well?” she asked, her eyebrow arching up. “Are you gonna get to it or not?”

 

Chris grinned, “Oh I am,” he nodded, crawling up to be closer to her. “I most certainly am.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the story! I do have a chapter written out for another story, but I'm not sure when I'll be posting it.


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